Mrs. Loretta Diane Owenby, 63, went home to be with the Lord on Thursday, February 26, 2015 at Citrus Memorial Hospital in Inverness. She was born in Tampa, Florida to the late William and Wanda [Burnett] Sheppard and lived in Inverness for the past 8 years, but was once a resident of Lake City. Diane was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister and friend, who enjoyed sewing, cooking and devoting her time to the care of her dear family. She is preceded in death by her parents, and her sister, Bertha Futch.
Survivors included her devoted husband of 46 years, Grover Owenby of Inverness, FL; sons, Mark (Samantha) Owenby Sr. of Columbia City, FL and Mark Owenby Jr. of Inverness, FL; daughter, Monica (Robert) Amerson of Jasper, FL; sisters, Wanda Fay (Jerry) Merritt of Inverness, FL and Sherrell (Joe) Burkett of Valrico, FL; special nephew, Troy (Sara) Sheppard of Inverness, FL; 6 grandchildren & 6 great grandchildren.
Funeral services will be conducted at 12:30 p.m. on Monday, March 2, 2015 at Watertown Congregational Methodist Church with Pastor Randy Ogburn and Pastor Troy Sheppard officiating. Interment will follow in Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens. Visitation with the family will be held prior to service time (11:00 a.m. until 12:30 p.m.) at the church. GATEWAY-FOREST LAWN FUNERAL HOME, 3596 S. US Hwy 441, Lake City, FL 32025. (386) 752-1954. Online at www.gatewayforestlawn.com