Owen Jeffery

[Stripa Swipa]

Heard somewhere that he passed away.

Anybody know for sure?

[GBelly]

Passed away yesterday afternoon

He was a great man and always shared a good story. Heck of a pioneer and will be missed.

[LabLuvR]

One hell of a man. Anyone who didn't get to hunt with him or have great conversations really missed out.

[Tuffy]

Sure hate to hear that.

[WoodieSC]

Godspeed, Mr. Jeffery.

I took a trip down to Columbia to meet him, get my old recurve repaired when I started bow hunting, and he spent a couple of hours giving me some tips and a lesson. An incredible man.

The world is a better place because he passed through it.

[jmjsc]

Sad news for sure. He was a great man!

[Bigtimber2]

Sorry to hear. Prayers from Tom and family.

[nitro5x6's]

I will sling a few from my longbow today in his honor. Great Archer !! Godspeed Owen!!

[BigBrother]

Sad to hear.

He left a hell of a foot print...

[ccleroy]

Sorry to hear this........Godspeed Mr. Jeffery.

[CWPINST]

I found out today at the Classic when I stopped by and spoke to Tom. Owen was a heck of a man! He and his wife Ms. Erin were my mentors when I first got into archery in about 1982. Those were the days, before video's, the internet, and commercialization of our sport. If you wanted to learn correctly, you needed a mentor. I remember those days, of stopping by in the afternoons and shooting the "jug course" at their place on Pepper Street. Hardly a week went by without a visit....typically, several times a week. Owen and Ms. Erin ALWAYS took time out from working to demonstrate and coach shooting techniques. I think that Owen preferred to do that instead of making sawdust anyway. Owen had a brilliant mind. It always amazed me how he could look at something and see multiple load/force relationships in his mind, then develop something, usually simple, that would work.

Here are just a few things that some folks may not know about him: He was a WWII bomber pilot, stationed in the Pacific. He flew the B-25 Mitchell and loved that plane. Among his many missions, he flew several low altitude skip bombing missions at Rabaul. He once told me about a time while taking off and building ground effect speed that he hit a pocket of air causing the plane to drop. He felt the plane shutter but kept flying. When he landed he found the tips of all three props on the starboard engine bent back at 90 degrees. He was amazed and said that he never even had to make a trim adjustment.

During cold weather, Owen always wore his WWII sheepskin flight jacket at work. To know Owen, was to see him in that old tattered brown jacket. Owen was one of Fred Bear's top designers, responsible for many of Fred's bows. Among bows that he designed was/is one of the best looking recurves ever made, the Super Kodiak. Owen kept the rights to make that bow. Several times, I contemplated having him make me one, but never did....a decision that I regret. Owen was also a 2 handicap golfer. I once played a round with him and Ms. Erin and later had supper with them that evening. He and Ms. Erin were far better at golf than I was. No surprise to me, and probably no surprise to them either. Oddly enough, that golf outing was the first time I saw a Coyote in SC (being bred by a black lab on the back 9). Owen had a few comments, but that is another story. In recent years, I visited him occasionally, but never as much as I should have. I enjoyed just sitting around and doing nothing but talking. He had much wisdom to impart for folks willing to listen. Sometimes we unfortunately allow life to get in the way of doing the things that we should do. Oftentimes we don't realize it until the opportunity is gone.

Owen Jeffery was truly one of America's finest from the greatest generation. As I told Tom today, Owen and Ms. Erin were key threads in the tapestry of my life. I learned a lot about archery and life from Owen Jeffery. I will miss him!

[mudnut1970]

Owen taught me everything about bow hunting. I use to ride my bike to thier shop on pepper st in the early 80's killed my first deer with a bow it was a 44 special. After that I move up to a 44 magnum bow and killed many on Ft Jackson with it. These bows where slow and didn't have sights on them. He use to have a dog that would pull the arrows out of the target and bring them back to you. He was a smart man and mechanical tallant man. Then I went to work with him after high school in 1989 boy I learn a lot about archery. He made me a custom recurve and sign it to me still shoot it this day. God speed Owen

[SwatEm]

RIP

[GBelly]

he was also one of the toughest men I have ever met.

i didnt mind the days whenever tom was backed up with 8 people in front of me and i would sit and listen to mr ownens stories. he made the time fly by and was always great to my kids.

[CWPINST]

Owen taught me everything about bow hunting. I use to ride my bike to thier shop on pepper st in the early 80's killed my first deer with a bow it was a 44 special. After that I move up to a 44 magnum bow and killed many on Ft Jackson with it. These bows where slow and didn't have sights on them. He use to have a dog that would pull the arrows out of the target and bring them back to you. He was a smart man and mechanical tallant man. Then I went to work with him after high school in 1989 boy I learn a lot about archery. He made me a custom recurve and sign it to me still shoot it this day. God speed Owen

Were you the guy that drove the yellow VW and stuck the arrow through his leg?

[ricequacker]

Rest in peace my friend! !!

[buckfarmer]

I knew him very well, and it is a sad day to lose such a legend.

Did you know he was fighting in Iwo Jima when he was 16 years old?? One fine American, and a mentor to more than can be counted.

[mudnut1970]

Were you the guy that drove the yellow VW and stuck the arrow through his leg?

That wasn't me.

[led0321]

Sad indeed. I bought two bows down there and talked to him a lot. A true American.

[2thDoc]

I used to take connor by there "just to pick something up" when I knew we didnt need anything but hoping Mr Owen would be sitting in his chair and connor might strike up a conversation with him or vice versa. I know connor didnt appreciate it but maybe one day he will look back and understand what it meant.

Godspeed Owen. You will be missed.