Charles L. Owen, age 86, of Chicago. Lt. Commander, U.S. Navy. Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the Institute of Design, Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), Chicago, where he conducted research and taught until 2010 in the MDes, MDM, and PhD Design graduate programs. Avid shell collector and longtime member of the Chicago Shell Club. Beloved husbandContinue Reading
Charles L. Owen, age 86, of Chicago. Lt. Commander, U.S. Navy. Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the Institute of Design, Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), Chicago, where he conducted research and taught until 2010 in the MDes, MDM, and PhD Design graduate programs. Avid shell collector and longtime member of the Chicago Shell Club. Beloved husband of Mary, nee Wrenn; dear brother of Donald B. (Carol J.); loving uncle of many nieces and nephews. Visitation, Thursday, October 24, 2019, from 4 to 9 p.m., at HABEN Funeral Home & Crematory, 8057 Niles Center Rd., Skokie. Family and friends to meet for Graveside Service and Interment, Friday, October 25, at 11 a.m., at Woodland Cemetery, 1700 N. Richmond Rd., McHenry, IL, 60050. Funeral info: 847.673.6111.
Mary Montague
left a message on October 31, 2019:
Jim Montague and Chuck Owen had a very special friendship that spanned academic crises, wonderful project work and endless planning for the ID. I enjoyed that friendship with Chuck & Mary whether we were installing Shell Club exhibits, end of year student exhibits, exploring the Chicago River by boat or collecting exotic land snails in Australia. He was a generous educator and I’m honoured to have had his friendship.
Greg Chien
left a message on October 31, 2019:
Dear Chuck, the Greatest Mentor of My Life! I believe “Lao” (old-buddy) Chuck, as we Taiwanese students called him, was the greatest mentor to many of us. He taught us not only academic gems from his lifetime research, but also English (such as differentiation among questions, problems, and issues) through repeated and lengthy thesis revisions, philosophy (teleology from Steinbeck, for example), attention to details (describe a perfect salad, turn the printout sideways to check multi-column text alignment, etc.), and professional work ethics. I have benefited from working with Chuck for 12 years of my IIT life and forever after those. Old-buddy Chuck will be remembered in our hearts, and especially our minds!
Kuohsiang Chen
left a message on October 31, 2019:
Chuck was my thesis advisor for both Master (1984) and PhD (1995) at the Institute of Design. He accepted my transfer from UCLA in 1981 and changed my life since then. Kinectics was one of the award-winning systems projects that year. In 1982, he brought me into SPSS Inc. to work on graphics project which even enriched my experience outside academia in the States. After graduated from ID and started my teaching career at NCKU, I have been keeping very close contact with him for consultations and friendship. We had traveled together with Mary around Taiwan in many trips which left me endless joyful memories today. There is an ancient Chinese proverbs “Once your teacher, always your father”, Chuck is the teacher to me also a dear friend and I will miss him.
Jim Hennessey
left a message on October 31, 2019:
Chuck was one of my teachers at IIT-ID, Product Design, 1969. He was influential in supporting my interest in CAD and HCI. Hydrospace was just one of the award-winning projects that he headed. He was also a dear friend and I will miss him.
Edward S. Koizumi
left a message on October 31, 2019:
Professor Chuck Own was a wonderfully kind man and with an amazingly keen mind. He was my thesis advisor during my undergraduate days at the Institute of Design. I will be forever grateful for his encouragement, as I did finally manage to graduate. Many years later when I joined the staff at ID, we would often speak fondly of the old days and the exciting new avenues and challenges presented to our current design students. Our condolences to Mary, and family, and to his brother, Don Owen, whom I remember teaching an interesting and enjoyable Kinetic Sculpture class at the ID.
Peace of mind is a call away. We’re here when you need us most.
Kathleen Brandenburg
left a message on October 31, 2019:
Chuck Owen was a wonderful teacher, who patiently and thoughtfully taught our diverse and international class at ID, IIT the great value of systems design. Steadfast in his philosophy of systemic thinking - one that was way before its time, Chuck instilled a sense of rigor and visionary thinking in me that I am grateful for every day.
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Mary Montague
left a message on October 31, 2019:
Jim Montague and Chuck Owen had a very special friendship that spanned academic crises, wonderful project work and endless planning for the ID. I enjoyed that friendship with Chuck & Mary whether we were installing Shell Club exhibits, end of year student exhibits, exploring the Chicago River by boat or collecting exotic land snails in Australia. He was a generous educator and I’m honoured to have had his friendship.
Greg Chien
left a message on October 31, 2019:
Dear Chuck, the Greatest Mentor of My Life! I believe “Lao” (old-buddy) Chuck, as we Taiwanese students called him, was the greatest mentor to many of us. He taught us not only academic gems from his lifetime research, but also English (such as differentiation among questions, problems, and issues) through repeated and lengthy thesis revisions, philosophy (teleology from Steinbeck, for example), attention to details (describe a perfect salad, turn the printout sideways to check multi-column text alignment, etc.), and professional work ethics. I have benefited from working with Chuck for 12 years of my IIT life and forever after those. Old-buddy Chuck will be remembered in our hearts, and especially our minds!
Kuohsiang Chen
left a message on October 31, 2019:
Chuck was my thesis advisor for both Master (1984) and PhD (1995) at the Institute of Design. He accepted my transfer from UCLA in 1981 and changed my life since then. Kinectics was one of the award-winning systems projects that year. In 1982, he brought me into SPSS Inc. to work on graphics project which even enriched my experience outside academia in the States. After graduated from ID and started my teaching career at NCKU, I have been keeping very close contact with him for consultations and friendship. We had traveled together with Mary around Taiwan in many trips which left me endless joyful memories today. There is an ancient Chinese proverbs “Once your teacher, always your father”, Chuck is the teacher to me also a dear friend and I will miss him.
Jim Hennessey
left a message on October 31, 2019:
Chuck was one of my teachers at IIT-ID, Product Design, 1969. He was influential in supporting my interest in CAD and HCI. Hydrospace was just one of the award-winning projects that he headed. He was also a dear friend and I will miss him.
Edward S. Koizumi
left a message on October 31, 2019:
Professor Chuck Own was a wonderfully kind man and with an amazingly keen mind. He was my thesis advisor during my undergraduate days at the Institute of Design. I will be forever grateful for his encouragement, as I did finally manage to graduate. Many years later when I joined the staff at ID, we would often speak fondly of the old days and the exciting new avenues and challenges presented to our current design students. Our condolences to Mary, and family, and to his brother, Don Owen, whom I remember teaching an interesting and enjoyable Kinetic Sculpture class at the ID.
Peace of mind is a call away. We’re here when you need us most.
Kathleen Brandenburg
left a message on October 31, 2019:
Chuck Owen was a wonderful teacher, who patiently and thoughtfully taught our diverse and international class at ID, IIT the great value of systems design. Steadfast in his philosophy of systemic thinking - one that was way before its time, Chuck instilled a sense of rigor and visionary thinking in me that I am grateful for every day.
left a message:
Please accept our deepest condolences for your family's loss.
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