Sherwood Arthur McOwen, Jr. (nicknamed Sandy by his grandfather) was born September 11, 1944 in Lengthy Seaside, CA to Sherwood and Mary Kay McOwen. The eldest of three kids, his brother Scott and sister Susan quickly adopted. The household moved to San Jacinto the place the kids grew up with horses, cows, and a service station which their father owned on the big rural ranch. Their grandparents, Howard and Gertrude McOwen additionally lived on the property.
Sandy attended San Jacinto Excessive College and excelled in soccer and basketball. He attended UCSB and obtained a Masters diploma in Electrical Engineering. He performed varsity soccer and basketball at UCSB and was a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. He met Francine within the UCSB library the place they have been each “learning” and their lengthy love story started, as they have been married September 16, 1967. Sandy started work at Raytheon the week of return from their honeymoon and so they lived in Isla Vista till buying their Pebble Hill residence in 1970, simply in time for start of Sarah Ann, adopted by Matthew Sherwood, after which Jordan Scott.
Sandy cherished household life and doted on his kids, by no means lacking an Indian Princess and Indian Information exercise. dance recitals, numerous Nutcracker performances, water polo video games, basketball video games, volleyball video games and sometimes coached groups when the kids have been younger. The household loved yearly tenting and mountaineering in Yosemite and days on the seashore browsing. As the kids grew and married, the grandchildren Kate, Rebecca, Andrew and Nathan grew to become the apples of his eye. He additionally cherished his nieces and nephews and have become the household’s beloved storyteller, well-known for such tales as “Mr. Honker”, “Mr. Sneezer” and “the Gootchy Girl.”
Sandy labored within the Raytheon EWS Area and Airborne techniques till 2007 and invented and developed a number of microwave antennae, oscillators and energy amplifiers. He received a number of design contests and invention contests in addition to receiving patents within the USA and Europe. A spotlight in his later work was receiving nationwide recognition with the Raytheon group on the Smithsonian Air and Area Museum.
After retirement Sandy grew to become a CIF Volleyball Referee and in addition began his new profession in performing and theater, with a number of programs at SBCC and personal classes. He had many performing gigs together with pupil movies, performs and have size movies and in addition appeared in movies for the Santa Barbara Worldwide Movie Competition, strolling the purple carpet a number of occasions.
The writings of C.S Lewis have been a significant affect and basis for Sandy’s Christian religion, as he met Jesus by means of a university Younger Life Bible examine led by lifelong good friend Ralph De La Vega. Sandy’s brother-in-law Chuck launched Sandy into beginning the Dos Pueblos Excessive College Younger Life membership, despite the fact that Sandy was a really new believer and struggled by means of all of it. He cherished the highschool children he met and spent numerous hours with them, and his personal religion grew quickly, from the small YL golf equipment and even smaller boys’ Campaigners, a lot of his membership children met Jesus and have grow to be leaders in lots of components of the world. Years of examine in Males’s Bible Examine Fellowship and fellowship and group at Calvary Baptist Church and later Santa Barbara Group Church grew his religion. He and Francine led Homegroups at SB Group Church for a few years and the buddies in these teams grew to become and are nonetheless our household. Sandy additionally served on the Santa Barbara Younger Life Space Committee for a few years.
Sandy at all times wore his Younger Life baseball cap every time venturing from the home which was a dialog starter with many a stranger after which new good friend. Within the ending years when caregivers helped him he requested them to learn to him from the Narnia collection. These have been two of his methods of mild evangelism.
Sandy is survived by his spouse, Francine, kids Sarah ( Troy) Zorn, Matt ( Sarah) McOwen, Jordan Mc Owen, siblings, Scott ( Carolyn) McOwen, Susan ( Bob) Wilson, sister in regulation Jeanie Smith (Chuck), grandchildren Kate, Rebecca, Andrew and Nathan, and lots of enjoyable and great nieces and nephews and nice nieces and nephews.
Sandy left for heaven, departing from residence and at peace on September 16, the day of Sandy and Francine’s 56th wedding ceremony anniversary, however not the tip of a really lengthy love story.
In lieu of flowers please take into account a present in Sandy’s honor to our native Younger Life Space. Items could also be made on line at sbylgive.com or checks mailed to Younger Life, 3046 De La Vina, Santa Barbara, CA 93105.
A memorial is deliberate for November 24, 2 pm, at Santa Barbara Group Church, 1002 Cieneguitas Rd.
