Chuck Owens

Charles F. “Chuck” Owens Jr. a dedicated Christian, husband, father, grandfather, uncle, career firefighter, and paramedic, died on Sunday, July 19th, 2026 at the age of 67.

The visitation will be on Friday, July 24, 6:00- 8:00 PM, at Wilson Memorial Service, Wilson. A Celebration of Life Service will be on Saturday, July 25, 11:00 AM, at Wilson Memorial Service followed by interment in the Stantonsburg Cemetery, Stantonsburg.

Born and raised in Eastern North Carolina, Chuck lived an amazing life defined by his faith in Jesus Christ, tremendous passion for the people and things he loved, compassion for anyone facing hardship or struggle, servant leadership, and a deep love for the fire service and EMS. Known for his kind, loving, and humorous personality, he dedicated his life to serving Jesus, his family, and his community with unwavering bravery and compassion.

Our family sincerely appreciates all who have offered their love and support during this difficult time. As so many know, Chuck lived a life that had far-reaching effects on countless individuals, organizations, and communities.

Chuck was born in the early morning hours of July 5th, 1959; carried from the Stantonsburg Clinic by his parents Charles Fedrick “Freddy” Owens, Sr. and Hilda Jones Owens to his childhood home on Travis Street. He was the third of four children, whom his mother always said was her "knee baby", a reference to him being the second-to-last child.

Chuck’s life of service began early. At just 14, he worked as an ambulance technician with Resha Ambulance Service on the streets of Nashville, Tennessee, during the summer of 1974. Soon after turning 16, he joined the Stantonsburg Volunteer Fire Department as a junior firefighter. That same year, Chuck delivered, or, as he would say, “caught” his first baby in the back seat of a Stantonsburg police car, always giving the mother proper credit for the delivery. He was also one of the four founding members of the Stantonsburg Volunteer Rescue Squad and served as its first procurement officer.

From those early years until the time of his death, Chuck was driven by a profound sense of duty and a desire to help others. Throughout his career, he demonstrated exceptional courage and resilience, often putting himself in harm’s way to save lives and protect property. As a paramedic, he provided critical care and life support to countless people in their times of need, offering comfort and expertise during some of life’s most challenging moments.

Chuck was a devoted firefighter, paramedic, and educator who dedicated his life’s work to the art of lifesaving and the pursuit of knowledge. During more than 33 years with Greenville Fire & Rescue, he served as training officer, the department’s first EMS coordinator, shift captain, and its first battalion chief of EMS. He guided generations of firefighters and medical professionals with steadfast dedication and a passion for teaching, leaving an indelible mark on those privileged to learn under his care. He also attended and spoke at medical conferences throughout the country.

Early in his career, Chuck recognized the toll emergency service work could take on the mental health of his peers. Determined to prevent and address that harm, he co-founded the Pitt County Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) Response Team with mental health professionals Betsy Leach and Frank Dawkins of the Pitt Mental Health Center. The team offered immediate post-incident defusings and debriefings, along with preventive education in stress management and resiliency.

Chuck devoted most of his career to this work. He helped expand the team into the Eastern Carolina CISM Association (ECCISMA), which grew to more than 250 trained personnel in Eastern North Carolina and beyond. At the time, ECCISMA was the state’s only organized stress management organization of its kind, providing services across North Carolina and deploying personnel to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina; Washington, D.C., and New York City after 9/11; Charlotte after the Flight 5481 disaster; and Thailand after the 2004 tsunami.

Chuck deployed in 2003 for the recovery of human remains and personal effects at the Flight 5481 crash site in Charlotte. He was personally invited back for three days of memorial dedications and services, where he helped serve the victims’ families. He was deeply honored to ring the bell for each victim during the dedication service at the crash site.

From ECCISMA’s founding in the mid-1990s until after his retirement in 2013, Chuck served on its board of directors. A nationally certified CISM trainer, he led debriefings and counseling for first responders and trained and certified more than 1,000 CISM responders and mental health professionals across the nation to address the intense, emotionally debilitating trauma known to emergency service workers.

Chuck attended East Carolina University before beginning his career in the fire service. He later earned an A.A.S. in Human Resources Management from Pitt Community College and completed the County and Municipal Administration course of study at the UNC Institute of Government in Chapel Hill. During his career, he attended the U.S. Fire Administration’s National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Maryland, more than a dozen times. He was one of fewer than 200 people in the world to earn the U.S. Fire Administration’s designation of Fire Instructional Specialist.

Chuck had an incredible rapport with his students. He taught them not only to be safe and effective firefighters, but also to be ambassadors in their communities and to emerge from each course and level of study as better people. Whenever he encountered a fellow firefighter, paramedic, or former student, he greeted them wholeheartedly, eager to hear about their journey, how they were doing, and to tell them he was praying for them. Chuck was an excellent and passionate teacher who formed lasting friendships and worked to honor first responders in a manner worthy of their sacrifices and service.

As a young adult, Chuck held instructor certifications for every water safety, lifeguarding, swimming, first aid, sailing, canoeing, and boating course offered by the American Red Cross, teaching extensively across Eastern North Carolina. During the Cold War, when the threat of nuclear destruction was ever present, he completed every course offered by the North Carolina Civil Preparedness Agency and became certified to teach them. The Wilson County Civil Preparedness Agency appointed him its radiological defense officer, a role he held for three years until moving to Pitt County.

Through further self-study in ionizing radiation, Chuck became licensed by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to use and transport the radioactive isotopes cobalt-60 and cesium-137 for the training and testing of radiological personnel in North Carolina. He also co-wrote the first edition of North Carolina’s Basic Radiation Emergency Preparedness course. First delivered at Wilson County Technical Institute, the course addressed transportation incidents involving radiological risk and contamination and was later adopted by other colleges and the North Carolina Highway Patrol.

In the 1980s, Chuck also developed a keen interest in infection control and risk management and developed and taught courses on these topics for Greenville Fire & Rescue and local community colleges, becoming a frequent speaker and panelist at state and regional conferences. He went on to become both a nationally certified Infection Control Officer and a nationally certified Infection Control Trainer for the emergency services and medical communities.

Chuck’s interests were as varied as they were passionate. He had a deep love for God and a thirst for studying His Holy Word. Willing to question what he had been told or taught, he would set out to see and learn for himself. A beloved brother once accurately described Chuck as a “seeker.”

An analytical thinker, Chuck could unravel complex problems with ease and grace, and his tales and insights offered both entertainment and wisdom. He was an avid scholar and reader who spent much of retirement studying Scripture and other writers in his home office and library. One of his favorite retreats was his backyard, where he watched birds and deer and enjoyed nature’s beauty with his dog, Chief. He also treasured meeting up with his fellow retired firefighters.

Until his later years, Chuck enjoyed snow skiing, boating, sailing, fishing, exploring, rock and fossil hunting, digging and panning for gold, hiking, and swimming. He spent four summers as a lifeguard, taught hundreds of children to swim and stay safe around the water, and trained and certified many young adults as lifeguards. He also taught canoeing and sailing. He shared that love of adventure with Ryan and Brenna, teaching them to appreciate the outdoors through hiking, camping, swimming, snow skiing, boating, and other water sports. He also shared his passion for all kinds of music, encouraging them to close their eyes, sense the rhythm, and reach into the air to literally feel the melodies.

Chuck also found great joy in bringing people together through food. An avid cook and talented chef, he valued good, high-quality food prepared just right. He took special care with Southern cooking, preserving and passing on the rich, delicious heritage he learned from his mother and paternal grandmother. He loved preparing huge meals for family, fellow firefighters, friends, church family, college students, and neighbors, and entertaining others every chance he could with his many magic tricks.

Later in life, Chuck became a writer and poet, weaving words into beautiful accounts of youthful memories and loving moments with his wife and family for generations to come. He loved comedies, and his quick, brief laugh could brighten any room. His infectious smile, sharp wit, intelligence, and well-placed sarcasm left those around him either puzzled or smiling. Chuck was a scholar, a teacher, an adventurer, and a compassionate soul who never stopped seeking to learn, serve, and understand the world around him.

Chuck was preceded in death by his parents, Charles Fedrick “Freddy” Owens Sr and Hilda Louise Jones Owens; and his brother, Patrick Andrew “Buddy” Owens.

Chuck is lovingly remembered by his beloved wife of 42 years, Lisa Mills Owens, with whom he shared a profound bond and unwavering love and devotion; his children, Charles Ryan Owens and his wife, Lauren Estridge Owens, and Ashley Brenna Owens Kirk and her husband, Matthew David Kirk, of whom he was so very proud; and his sisters, Melody Owens Cabe (Bob) and Rhapsody Owens Squires (Marty). He is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. His departure leaves an unfillable void, but his family finds comfort in their memories and the everlasting love they shared.

Chuck let go of his earthly life and went to dance with abandon on the streets of heaven on July 19th, 2026 with his beloved wife, Lisa, and his children at his side. He crossed the Jordan River and was ushered into his heavenly home and eternal rest by our Lord and Savior, Jesus.

Chuck was a beloved husband to Lisa, a devoted father to Ryan and Brenna, a cherished brother to many, and a friend to everyone. His kindness, generosity, warm heart, infectious smile, and selfless spirit reflected the personal motto by which he lived: “Love all, serve all.” Above all, Chuck’s life was defined by sharing his joy in Christ.

His legacy lives on in the countless lives he touched as a lifesaver, healer, counselor, teacher, and family man. For students, relatives, colleagues, and friends, he was always ready to be a sounding board, offering wisdom when warranted and creating a safe space free of judgment.

Chuck would not want us to be sad and cry over his loss. He would want his life to inspire us to become the best people we can be. To his fellow first responders: share his story. Learn from and exemplify his passion and dedication to service in whatever capacity is available. As he often said, “Make a difference in every life you touch.” Remember him beyond this memorial through the positive and fun memories you carry. Honor him by representing what he stood for: Jesus, family, selfless love for others, empathy, and making someone smile.

Chuck’s warmth, love, and laughter will forever be cherished by the family and friends blessed to know him. Though he may be gone, his spirit lives on in the hearts of those he leaves behind.

So, it is not goodbye. The Cherokee language does not have a word for “goodbye”; instead, they say “donadagohvi,” meaning “until we meet again.” So, we say, “donadagohvi Chuck”, until we meet again on the other side of Jordan, we are forever grateful for the time we were blessed by your presence this side of heaven.

Chuck had a prayer for all of us who remain: “I pray for you, brothers and sisters of all the world. Please join me in prayer, if you can, if you will, simply as the Lord has purposed for all of us to do, share your love with all, just as Christ has.”

“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” - Paul’s prayer to the Ephesians (Ephesians 3:14–21)

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Chuck’s honor to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Pl, Memphis, TN 38105, www.stjude.org, the North Carolina Jaycee Burn Center, www.med.unc.edu/surgery/burn/, ECU Academics and the Brinkley-Lane Scholarship, https://brinkleylane.ecu.edu/ and/or the Greenville Fire & Rescue Firefighters’ Relief/Benevolent Fund, www.facebook.com/p/Greenville-Firefighters-Benevolent-Fund-61581005457749/

May his memory bring comfort to all who knew him and inspire kindness in all who remember him.

Arrangements by Wilson Memorial Service, 2811 Fieldstream Dr N, Wilson, (252) 237-7171; www.wilsonmemorialservice.com