Ralph Randal “Randy” Ownbey passed away Sunday, March 6, 2022, and was born Nov. 27, 1948, in Twin Falls to Ralph Roland Ownbey and Phyllis Louise Rohn Ownbey. The family moved to Potlatch in the early 1950s, where Randy was a 12-year student at Potlatch schools. During high school, Randy met Carol French, the love of his life, and they were married in July of 1968.
Randy went on to attend University of Idaho, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in biology. Concurrently, he earned his commission as second lieutenant in the United States Air Force.
In January 1973, Randy, Carol and his newborn son, Chad, moved to Williams Air Force Base for pilot training. In 1974, Randy and his family moved to Mountain Home, Idaho, where he flew the F-111 out of the Mountain Home Air force base.
After his discharge from the Air Force, Randy started a long and successful career in the telecommunications industry. His career took him and his family (which now included his daughter, Jaime) to live in seven different states and he and Carol lived in 32 homes over the course of their 54 year marriage. Randy worked for a few years in the autumn of his career as an executive manager in the fish chemical and vaccine business. In 2008, Randy and Carol returned to his family homestead in Potlatch and opened a bed-and-breakfast. Randy loved meeting new people who would visit the B&B and spent his days keeping his place in immaculate shape. His greatest love besides his wife Carol was spending time with the numerous dogs they had over the years, including his last particularly feisty best friend, “Jax.” Randy was fiercely devoted to his family, his children and grandchildren, and to his numerous friends.
He is survived by his wife, Carol Ownbey, at his home in Potlatch; his son, Chad (Melissa Carpenter) Ownbey, of Spokane Valley, Wash.; his daughter, Jaime (Mark) Ledger, of Kenmore, Wash.; and his grandsons, Jacob Ownbey, Samuel Ownbey, Tyler Ledger, Brody Ledger and Christapher Evjen. He is also survived by his beloved siblings, Darrel French (Sandy), Larry French (Sandra) and Linda Murray (Joe).
There will be a funeral and graveside service at 2 p.m. Friday at Freeze Community Church with the United States Air Force and Potlatch Post No. 10300 participating, followed by a reception at the family home, 1276 W. Freeze Road, Potlatch, ID 83855. Any memorial contributions can be made to Freeze Community Cemetery attention: Crete Davis, 1225 Duffield Flat Road, Potlatch, ID 83855.
Kramer Funeral Home of Palouse is caring for the family. Online condolences may be left at kramercares.com.
