Owens had been a diabetic since he was 8. He died Thursday surrounded by relatives at his Los Angeles area home, his son Chris Owens said.
“His body just kind of failed. We are grateful that he died so peacefully with all of us present and that he was able to remain vital throughout his life. I would like people to remember how good my father was. It would be hard to count how many times people approached my brother and I to tell us how much they loved working with my dad.”
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Owens is survived by his wife, Arleta Owens, and one other son, Scott Owens.
CNN’s Mayra Cuevas contributed to this report
