Owen Urel Black

Owen Urel Black was born August 25, 1928 in Blanding, Utah to David Owen Black and Mary Darles Mangum. He was the eldest of six children. His twin brother Oren died shortly after birth. His sisters Erna and Vina also proceeded him in death. He is survived by his two brothers Rowland and Jay.
Growing up in Blanding he was called by his middle name of Urel. His extended family was in the business of running flour mills. He worked alongside his cousins at the grist mill. He and his cousins were best friends and it seemed that everyone in that small pioneer community was a cousin in some way.
As was common for children of that era in small rural towns, Urel learned to work hard at a very early age. Before he was six years old, he drove the truck while his cousins threw hay on the wagon. Urel stood on the clutch when his cousins hollered at him to slow down. Later he got big enough to throw the hay on with them.
He moved the cows to pasture each day, walking on dirt roads with bare feet. He carried a switch to keep the cows moving in the right direction. As the cows grazed, he did what boys do. He climbed trees and threw rocks. When he was about eight years old, his dad gave him a shiny new pocket knife. He sat whittling one day and decided to make a whistle. He cut the stick and tapped it to loosen the bark. As he dug the knife in deep to cut the notch the knife slipped off the stick. It went through his pants and cut a deep gash over an inch long in his leg. Fearing that his mom would take away his prized possession, he found some tape to put over the cut. It wasn’t until weeks later that his mom saw the scar. He didn’t lose his pocket knife. He carried that scar for the rest of his life.
During the depression his father worked wherever he could find work. One job was hauling lumber. Urel rode many times with his dad to deliver the wood. Twice he was seriously injured in accidents involving the work trucks.
Around the age of fifteen his parents divorced and he moved to Salt Lake with his Dad and sister Erna. He attended West High School until 1946 when he joined the Navy just before his eighteenth birthday.
Assigned to the position of Fireman Apprentice, it was his job to maintain the ship’s engines below the deck. The term fireman came from the days of steam powered engines when the firemen would shovel in the coal to keep the engine moving.
He was stationed at Guam for a time where he received training on movie projectors. From then on, as official ship projectionist, he showed a lot of classic movies on the ship. He didn’t get to see much of the movies though because he was busy threading film onto the next projector and rewinding the last reel shown. It also took up a lot of his shore time. He had to check in the boxes of film reels that he had shown and then requisition and check out the films for the next voyage.
He was honorably discharged from the Navy in 1948 at Treasure Island, San Francisco. He promptly used a good chunk of his pay to buy a brand-new Harley Davidson motorcycle then he started for home. Just east of Wendover a large chuckhole swallowed his front tire. The fork folded and he was thrown over the handlebars. His brand-new motorcycle was totaled and he spent a few days in the hospital at Wendover.
Back in Salt Lake he took on odd jobs such as driving taxi and driving an ambulance. His most rewarding job in those days was working the amusement rides at Liberty Park. While working there he was attracted to a beautiful young lady who worked in the ticket booth. Her name was Marjorie Nielsen. On April 19, 1949 they were married I Farmington, Utah. They had attempted to be married in Salt Lake but because Marge was only sixteen, they were turned away. In Farmington they changed her birth date on the marriage license application.
They settled down and began to raise their family, Urel eventually found steady employment at Hill Air Force Base where he worked as a tool and die maker. He then hired on at Sperry Rand which was closer to their home in Salt Lake. He worked at that job through company buyouts with Sperry, Univac and eventually retired from Unisys.
Urel and Marge raised four children; Gloria Jean, William Owen, Cheryl Ann and Christine.
After retirement Urel began living his dream of flying small air planes. After months of training he received is Pilot license. Through the years he bought two small planes and enjoyed taking grandchildren on thrilling rides in the sky.
He made friends with a lot of other pilots at the small Sky Park airport in North Salt Lake. One of these friends, after seeing his immense mechanical and machining skills, offered him a partnership in designing the first all metal ultra-light aircraft.
After years of work, Urel and his partner Nick took their Freedom 28 to the air show at Osh Kosh and won first prize with their masterpiece.
On April 1, 1999, as the family was planning to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary, Owen’s world was turned upside down when Marge died suddenly just 18 days short of their anniversary.
After a difficult period of mourning and grief, Owen began socializing as he participated in activities at the local community center. One couple, the Lairds, befriended him as they frequently ate lunch together with the senior citizens. Clarence Laird died and Owen’s friendship with Anne blossomed into love. Owen and Anne were married in June of 2001. Owen was happy to acquire six more children in the deal; George, Jim, Kathy, Richard, Maurice and Stephen. In December of 2014 Anne died.
Again, Owen pulled himself out of the grief after moving to Brigham City. He met JoAnne Velazquez at church. They courted for a time and then they married in November 2016. They loved and cared for one another through difficult and declining health situations until his death on November 26,2018.
In his retirement years Owen shared his artistic talents with hundreds. His scroll saw art was loved and admired by all. He won multiple awards at State fairs through the years. He gifted or sold many intricate pieces to family, friends and associates. He also made dozens of latch hook rugs which he gave to loved ones.
Not long after Marjorie’s death, Owen expressed interest in becoming active in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He had stopped attending before he left Blanding as a young teenager.
Becoming an active member of the church again did little to change his lifestyle because throughout his life he had a very high standard of virtuous living. He always strictly obeyed the laws of God and kept his covenants as well as he understood them. Owen has always been a good example of hard work, industry, compassion, charity, kindness, love and integrity. He patiently taught his children and grandchildren life skills that have helped them become productive citizens.
He was a patriot who always voted according to what he believed after studying the issues. His children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren have learned to serve, honor and respect this country and the flag which now drapes his casket.
That flag will be presented to his daughter in behalf of his grandson Curtis Muir. Curtis will receive it when he returns from his fourth deployment in the middle east where he is now serving.
Owen didn’t have much formal education but he was a lifelong learner and teacher. He was a brilliant engineer, machinist and mechanic. This world is better because of the influence Owen has had on those he has loved, taught and served. Owen’s large posterity will continue to bless this world because we had great parents.
Owen was a man of few words.
He spoke softly.
He had the patience and faith of Job.
He loved deeply.
He will be missed.
We are happy that he finally got his real wings.
Fly High Grandpa! We love you.
Urel’s funeral service will be held at Memorial Redwood Mortuary on Thursday, November 29, 2018 at 11:00 AM with a viewing prior at 10:00 AM. Graveside service will follow at 12:00 PM at the Memorial Redwood Estates, 6500 Redwood Road, West Jordan, UT 84123.
Service Information
Viewing November 29, 2018 at 10:00 AM
Memorial Redwood Mortuary - 6500 Redwood Road, West Jordan 84123





Funeral Service
November 29, 2018 at 11:00 AM
Memorial Redwood Mortuary - 6500 Redwood Road, West Jordan 84123