08/31/2026
We are saddened by the passing of Jerry Owens, a longtime supporter and friend to the Red Bluff Bull & Gelding Sale. Jerry has been a familiar and valued part of our sale family for many years. His support of the sale and the people who make it what it is will not be forgotten. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Owens family during this difficult time. Rest in Peace Jerry, you will be missed.
Obituary:
Gerald Hart “Jerry” Owens passed away on August 16, 2026, in Chico, California, after a year-long battle with cancer. He was born on May 28, 1950, in Red Bluff, California.
Jerry's life was closely tied to the places that shaped him and to the work that defined him. He and his family have seasonally moved cattle from ranches in Northern California to ranches in Southern Oregon for decades. He attended grade school in Red Bluff, California, and Klamath Falls, Oregon, later graduating from Red Bluff High School in 1969. He continued his education at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, carrying forward the foundation that would support a life centered on family and ranching.
From the time Jerry was old enough to ride a horse until he fell sick a year ago, he worked on his family ranches. Ranching was more than his work; it was a legacy he cared deeply about preserving. It was especially important to him to pass on to his sons and grandchildren the knowledge, experience, and practical tools that would allow them to build ranching businesses of their own, if they chose that path.
Jerry met his wife, Jennifer Elston Owens, at the annual Woolgrowers Field Day in the spring of 1968. After high school, he left for Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, and Jennifer attended Shasta College and then CSU Chico. They got married on January 12, 1974. Together, they built a family that filled their hearts with pride.
Jerry is survived by his wife, Jennifer Elston Owens; by his son Matthew Owens and Matthew’s wife, Deana Poore Owens, and their children, Elaina and Bryce; by his son Adam Owens and Adam’s wife, Dena Dietle Owens, and their children, Lucas and Olivia; by his brother, Edward Owens; and by his sister, Caroline Vann.
He was preceded in death by his father, William Roy Owens, and his mother, Margaret Hart Owens.
Beyond ranching, Jerry took deep pleasure in being present for his grandchildren as they grew. He loved attending their sporting events, from T-ball and soccer, when they were young, through their middle school and high school years of baseball, softball, basketball, volleyball, and football. These steady acts of presence reflected how fully he invested himself in his family. Whether the event was small or significant, he valued being there to watch, support, and share in those moments.
Jerry will be remembered as a man whose priorities were clear, for the life he built in ranching, for the knowledge and values he passed to the next generations, and for his unwavering devotion to family. Jerry’s grandfather, father, and both of his sons have served in different capacities for the Red Bluff Bull and Gelding Sale. In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations in Jerry's memory to: Red Bluff Bull Sale Youth Fund, 670 Antelope Blvd, Suite 3, Red Bluff, CA 96080.
A memorial service will be held on September 13, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. at Red Bluff Elks Lodge, 355 Gilmore Rd.
