He had been suffering from Lewy Body disease for the past several years.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Friday, August 22, 2008, at St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in North Mankato, with Rev. Roger Knepprath officiating. Private family burial will be in the Garden City Cemetery. Visitation will be 4-7 p.m. on Thursday at Mankato Mortuary.

Milton was born September 8, 1930, in Mankato. He was the son of Robert and Anna (Peterson) Owens. Milton was a 1948 graduate of Redwood Falls High School. He was drafted into the U.S. Army in November of 1951, served in Austria for 15 months, and was honorably discharged in November of 1953. Milton studied accounting at Mankato Commercial College from February 1954 to September 1955. He enrolled part time under the G.I. Bill at Mankato State College in September 1956, majoring in English and French, and graduated with a BA degree in June of 1967.

Milton was united in marriage to Eunice Hackbarth at her parents’ home in Echo, MN, on June 3, 1956. This union was blessed with three children. Milton began work as a clerk in the Blue Earth County Auditor’s Office in November of 1955. He became deputy auditor in January of 1957 and was appointed auditor in July of 1974. Milton was re-elected to that office for five terms, retiring in March of 1995. He was a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in North Mankato, where he had served as a teacher and superintendent of the Sunday school, the church council, and various boards. Because of his love for children, he had been involved in reading to and playing with the children of St. Paul’s Jesus Loves Me Learning Center. He was a member of the New Ulm Committee of the WELS Prison Ministry and also served on the Board of the Belle Plaine Lutheran Home. He was a loving husband, father and grandfather and was an avid golfer.

Milton is survived by his wife, Eunice of Mankato; children, Debra (David) Walz of Clear Lake, Gwendolyn (Torey) Statlander of Owatonna, and Joel (Shannon) Owens of Granger, IN; grandchildren, Alec, Allison, and Megan Walz, Madeline and Owen Statlander, and Ella Owens; brother, Hugh (Joan) Owens of Overland Park, KS; nieces, nephews, cousins, and several sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, and their families.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Philip.