Wayne Owens
Encyclopedia
Douglas Wayne Owens was a member of the United States House of Representatives
for Utah's 2nd congressional district
from 1973 to 1975 and again from 1987 to 1993.
Born and raised in the small town of Panguitch, Utah
, Owens graduated from Panguitch High School in 1955, then attended the University of Utah
in Salt Lake City, from which he earned his Bachelor's degree in 1961 and his Juris Doctor
in 1964. Owens' undergraduate education was interrupted while he served as missionary
to France
for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS church) from 1957 to 1960. In France, he met his future wife, Marlene, a fellow missionary for the church. Owens reportedly worked his way through college and law school by washing dishes at the Bryce Canyon Café. He then worked as a lawyer in private practice and as a staffer for three United States Senators, Frank Moss of Utah
, Robert F. Kennedy
of New York
, and Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts
. He was the Western states coordinator for the presidential campaigns of Robert Kennedy in 1968 and Edward Kennedy in 1980, and served as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention
in 1968 and 1980.
In 1972, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives as a Democrat
by "walking for Congress" throughout the district to meet voters personally. He unseated incumbent Republican Sherman P. Lloyd
with 55% of the vote. He ran an unsuccessful U.S. Senate campaign against Jake Garn
in 1974, then served as a mission president
of the LDS Canada Montreal Mission from 1975 to 1978, after which he returned to Salt Lake City to practice law. In 1984, Owens lost the Utah gubernatorial race to Republican Norman H. Bangerter
, but was re-elected to the House in 1986 and served through 1992, when he ran for the U.S. Senate again. That year, he was defeated by a wider margin than expected by Bob Bennett
. Owens was embarrassed that year by his involvement in the House banking scandal
, and his voting record was more liberal than Utah's voters wanted. Following his Senate defeat, he retired to semi-private life but remained a tireless proponent for the causes he had championed in the U.S. Congress.
Throughout his congressional career, Owens was a friend to environmentalists
(he would later serve on the boards of several environmental organizations within the state), an advocate for “downwinders
” who had suffered radiation exposure
during atomic testing in Nevada
in the 1950s, a strong supporter of the Central Utah Project
to bring much-needed water to the region, and founder of the Center for Middle East Peace and Economic Cooperation. He always considered his vote, along with the votes of his fellow freshman congressmen, to force the vote that ended the Vietnam War
to be one of the highlights of his career.
On December 18, 2002, Owens suffered a fatal heart attack
in Tel Aviv
, Israel
while on a trip to further the cause of Middle East peace.
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
for Utah's 2nd congressional district
Utah's 2nd congressional district
Utah's 2nd congressional district currently serves the largely rural southern and eastern portions of Utah, including Saint George and Moab in the south and Vernal in the east, as well as the east side of urban Salt Lake County, the northern portion of Utah County, and Wasatch County. The current...
from 1973 to 1975 and again from 1987 to 1993.
Born and raised in the small town of Panguitch, Utah
Panguitch, Utah
Panguitch is a city in and the county seat of Garfield County, Utah, United States. The population was 1,623 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Panguitch is located at ....
, Owens graduated from Panguitch High School in 1955, then attended the University of Utah
University of Utah
The University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
in Salt Lake City, from which he earned his Bachelor's degree in 1961 and his Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
in 1964. Owens' undergraduate education was interrupted while he served as missionary
Mormon missionary
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of the most active modern practitioners of missionary work, with over 52,000 full-time missionaries worldwide, as of the end of 2010...
to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS church) from 1957 to 1960. In France, he met his future wife, Marlene, a fellow missionary for the church. Owens reportedly worked his way through college and law school by washing dishes at the Bryce Canyon Café. He then worked as a lawyer in private practice and as a staffer for three United States Senators, Frank Moss of Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, Robert F. Kennedy
Robert F. Kennedy
Robert Francis "Bobby" Kennedy , also referred to by his initials RFK, was an American politician, a Democratic senator from New York, and a noted civil rights activist. An icon of modern American liberalism and member of the Kennedy family, he was a younger brother of President John F...
of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, and Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. He was the Western states coordinator for the presidential campaigns of Robert Kennedy in 1968 and Edward Kennedy in 1980, and served as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention
Democratic National Convention
The Democratic National Convention is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party. They have been administered by the Democratic National Committee since the 1852 national convention...
in 1968 and 1980.
In 1972, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives as a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
by "walking for Congress" throughout the district to meet voters personally. He unseated incumbent Republican Sherman P. Lloyd
Sherman P. Lloyd
Sherman Parkinson Lloyd was a U.S. Representative from Utah.- Biography :Lloyd was born in St. Anthony, Fremont County, Idaho, Lloyd's father was a counselor in the Stake Presidency at the time. Lloyd attended St. Anthony and Rexburg public schools. Lloyd was a member of The Church of Jesus...
with 55% of the vote. He ran an unsuccessful U.S. Senate campaign against Jake Garn
Jake Garn
Edwin Jacob "Jake" Garn is an American politician, a member of the Republican Party, and served as a U.S. Senator representing Utah from 1974 to 1993...
in 1974, then served as a mission president
Mission president
Mission president is a priesthood leadership position in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . A mission president presides over a mission and the missionaries serving in the mission...
of the LDS Canada Montreal Mission from 1975 to 1978, after which he returned to Salt Lake City to practice law. In 1984, Owens lost the Utah gubernatorial race to Republican Norman H. Bangerter
Norman H. Bangerter
Norman Howard Bangerter was the 13th Governor of Utah from 1985 to 1993. He was the first Republican elected to the position since 1965.- Biography :...
, but was re-elected to the House in 1986 and served through 1992, when he ran for the U.S. Senate again. That year, he was defeated by a wider margin than expected by Bob Bennett
Robert Foster Bennett
Robert Foster "Bob" Bennett is a former United States Senator from Utah and a member of the Republican Party. In 2006, Bennett was tapped to serve on the Senate Republican Leadership Team as Counsel to the Minority Leader, United States Senator Mitch McConnell...
. Owens was embarrassed that year by his involvement in the House banking scandal
House banking scandal
The House banking scandal broke in early 1992, when it was revealed that the United States House of Representatives allowed members to overdraw their House checking accounts without risk of being penalized by the House bank ....
, and his voting record was more liberal than Utah's voters wanted. Following his Senate defeat, he retired to semi-private life but remained a tireless proponent for the causes he had championed in the U.S. Congress.
Throughout his congressional career, Owens was a friend to environmentalists
Environmentalism
Environmentalism is a broad philosophy, ideology and social movement regarding concerns for environmental conservation and improvement of the health of the environment, particularly as the measure for this health seeks to incorporate the concerns of non-human elements...
(he would later serve on the boards of several environmental organizations within the state), an advocate for “downwinders
Downwinders
Downwinders refers to individuals and communities who are exposed to radioactive contamination or nuclear fallout from atmospheric or underground nuclear weapons testing, and nuclear accidents...
” who had suffered radiation exposure
Radiation poisoning
Acute radiation syndrome also known as radiation poisoning, radiation sickness or radiation toxicity, is a constellation of health effects which occur within several months of exposure to high amounts of ionizing radiation...
during atomic testing in Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
in the 1950s, a strong supporter of the Central Utah Project
Central Utah Project
The Central Utah Project is a United States federal water project. It was authorized for construction under the Colorado River Storage Project Act of April 11, 1956 as a participating project...
to bring much-needed water to the region, and founder of the Center for Middle East Peace and Economic Cooperation. He always considered his vote, along with the votes of his fellow freshman congressmen, to force the vote that ended the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
to be one of the highlights of his career.
On December 18, 2002, Owens suffered a fatal heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
in Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
while on a trip to further the cause of Middle East peace.