Courtesy Spartanburg Herald Journal

(January 5, 2009) The shock of Ron Owenby's death remained with his family on Friday, but his daughter, Rhonda Hatchette of Spartanburg, looked on the brighter side.

"One thing I feel good about: Daddy had a good day, spent doing what he loved. He cooked all day. He was with his family. Daddy loved these things - cooking, his family, laughing and music," she said.

Owenby, 68, who retired three years ago as president and general manager of Gaffney Broadcasting Inc., died on New Year's Day.

Hatchette said Owenby planned to visit a family who had lost a loved one earlier in the week, after he played Wii video games with her 11-year-old son, Hunter Hatchette.

"Hunter had gotten a guitar for Christmas, and his Papa thought he had to try it out, too. Then, Daddy got dressed and just sat down. He said he didn't think he would go out after all. He said he couldn't breathe, and we called the medics. My mom and I kept asking if he hurt. He said he just couldn't breathe," she said.

His death was surprising to the family, who witnessed his mammoth effort over the past three years to survive bile duct cancer.

"Daddy kept saying his family and faith would get him through the illness. And the doctors gave him a good report recently. He seemed to be doing fine. But they said his lungs just filled up with fluid," Hatchette said.

Owenby is also survived locally by his wife, Sybil Owenby, a daughter, Robin Dixon of Inman, and three grandchildren.

His name and voice became synonymous with radio over the past 40 years, after he moved to Gaffney from Marion, N.C., in 1965.

He joined the staff of WEAC-AM radio as an announcer and retired as president and general manager of Gaffney Broadcasting Inc., which also included WAGI-FM.

Dennis Fowler, who worked for Owenby for about 36 years, said employees of the two radio stations, WEAC-FM and WAGI-FM, were a family.

"Of course, Ron came here from Marion, N.C., and we called him a Cherokee County native transplant or adopted native, but the people of the county loved him as one of their own. And he loved them," Fowler said.

Owenby's voice will be remembered by many locals from his 20 years of play-by-play commentary, and most recently, giving sideline reports for the Gaffney High School football games broadcast on WAGI-FM.

By 1975, he had become a regular on the radio's "Carolina in the Morning" two-hour talk show with the late Raymond Parker, station owner. The program continued until Owenby's retirement.

Owenby was also a friend to the Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce, multiple civic groups and Limestone College.

He also announced play-by-play for the college's basketball and baseball games.

He helped organize the Limestone basketball team and was the first president of the athletics support group, the Saints Club, receiving the first Super Saint Award.

Owenby had a stint judging beauty pageants, promoting fundraisers for handicapped children and Easter Seals, and serving with the Jaycees, including holding state and national director positions.

His family described him as a professional musician who studied piano and played the drums and guitar. He also sang, and Owenby had a distinctive lighter side.

"He always made you laugh," Fowler said.

The family gathered at his Coventry Court residence on Friday to recall the times they had all laughed together, Hatchette said.