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1971-72 Rigby Owen Sr. Conroe Courier

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Rigby Owen Sr., 94th president, was born June 17, 1912, in Rosebud. He died Feb. 1, 2005, in The Woodlands (full obituary).

In late 1918 Owen moved to Oklahoma City. He began his newspaper career at age 12 delivering the Daily Oklahoman.

In 1932 he moved to Cushing, Okla., to assist his older brother in distributing The Oklahoma City Times and the Daily Oklahoman.

On Sept. 25, 1933, Owen was hired as circulation manager of The Cushing (Okla.) Daily Citizen, and in August 1935 he became city circulation manager for the Oklahoma City papers. Around 1937 he moved to Ada, Okla., where he was hired as circulation manager for the Ada News.

In 1942 he bought one-fourth interest in the Opelousas (La.) Daily World and was sole owner until 1951. Owen was Louisiana Press Association president in 1947.

Owen owned The El Campo News from December 1951 to March 1953, as well as newspapers in Port Lavaca and Weslaco.

On Sept. 1, 1953, Owen bought the Conroe Courier, selling on Sept. 1, 1971, to Universal Publishing Inc.

Owen also owned The Tomball Tribune, The Cleveland Advocate and The Huntsville Pictorial.

In 1955-56 he was president of Texas Gulf Coast Press Association.

Owen married Jo Briley Feb. 14, 1933. They had one daughter and two sons.

He received TPA's Golden 50 Award in 2002.