JACKSONVILLE  -   Mary Elizabeth Gardner Owens, 85, of Jacksonville, NC passed away peacefully on February 17, 2025 after a short stay in the hospital recovering from surgery. Her funeral service will be held at 1:30 PM on Friday, February 21, 2025 at St. Anne's Episcopal Church, 711 Henderson Drive, Jacksonville, North Carolina.  The family will receive friends Thursday evening from 6:00 until 8:00 PM at Jones Funeral Home, Jacksonville Chapel.

Mary Elizabeth Gardner, known as Liz to all her friends, grew up in New Bern, NC and graduated from New Bern High School where she was the head cheerleader. She received a scholarship to attend Averett College in Danville, VA where she received an associate degree. She then went to East Carolina College in Greenville, NC where she continued as a cheerleader cheering on her beloved Pirates. She graduated from ECC with a teaching degree. She taught 1st grade at Tarawa Terrace 1 and 2 on base, Northwoods Elementary in the county, and Stone Street Elementary on base. She retired from teaching from the base schools in 2000 after 30 years of dedicated service to education.

When she retired from teaching she was approached by a friend, also a retired teacher, about starting a children's museum in Jacksonville. She was excited for this new venture and of course said yes. She spent the next 15 years working to get the children's museum established. As a 60+ year resident of Jacksonville, Liz had a lot of connections that allowed for the vision of a children's museum to become a reality for the children and families of Onslow County. Aside from her family, Zing Zumm Children's Museum is one of her greatest legacies. She not only wanted to provide an educational outlet for children, but also wanted to give back to the community that she called home for over sixty years. The people in Jacksonville and the surrounding area had always been so supportive, nice and helpful to her and her family that she wanted to give back and thank them with the children's museum.

Liz enjoyed crocheting, playing bridge and mahjong, making jellies and breads, traveling, spending time with her children and grandchildren and making prayer shawls. She was extremely active in St. Anne's Episcopal Church and helped with the Day School Chapel Programs. Even in retirement, she spent her time working with children because that's where she found the greatest joy.

Liz had a great smile that lit up the room. She never knew a stranger. She loved to dance almost as much as she loved the ECU Pirates. She was married to the love of her life, Jimmy, for 63 years. She was preceded in death by her parents, Edward and Elizabeth Gardner, sister and brother-in-law, Lela and John Laughter, granddaughter, Abbie Patterson and son-in-law, Donnie Patterson. In addition to Jimmy, she is survived by her three children, Lisa Patterson, Eddie (Ashley) Owens and Mary Pollard. She had 8 grandchildren that she adored, Hayden and Sutton Patterson, Landon, Emma and Maggie Owens and Elizabeth and Marycathryn Pollard.

The family requests that memorials be made to St. Jude's Children's Hospital, Shriner's Children's Hospital, the ASPCA or to St. Anne's Episcopal Church.

In true Liz Owens fashion, she would also love for everyone to "Paint it Purple" and wear purple.