Yr in Review – Ralph Owens

And the City of Lavonia lost a one of its great civic and community leaders when former Mayor Ralph Owens passed away November 30. 

 

Owens was elected to the Lavonia City Council in 1987 and after a two-year term, he was elected Mayor of Lavonia where he served until December, 2019.

 

During his tenure as Mayor, Owens  worked diligently to ensure that Lavonia’s best interests were represented. 

 

From the AutoZone Distribution Center to St. Mary’s Sacred Heart Hospital to the I-85 Corridor restaurants, he was instrumental in Lavonia’s industrial and economic growth. 

 

During his time as an elected official, Owens served as a board member of the Franklin County Industrial Building Authority, the Franklin/Hart/Stephens Joint Development Authority, and Georgia Mountains Regional Commission, among many others.

 

At his retirement party in January of last year, Mayor Courtney Umbehant praised Owens for his 32 years of public service.

 

Courtney Umbehant trt: 17 oc: 

 

Over the years, Owens was recognized for his dedication to the City with a number of awards, including the Georgia Mountains Regional Commission’s “Elected Official of the Year” and the Lavonia Chamber of Commerce’s “Good Citizen of the Year.”