Eva Ruth Owen, 83, of Troy, Missouri, passed away on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026 at SSM Hospital at Lake St. Louis surrounded by several family members. She was born on April 13, 1943 in Lincoln County, Missouri to Howard Derwood and Nellie Corrine (Taylor) Wells. She grew up with her younger sister, Clara Jeanne and lived in Missouri, Oklahoma and Oregon as her father Derwood went where he could find adequate work to feed his growing family. Eva and her cousin and best friend Carol Ann Jones attended Morris School in Briscoe as youngsters and later graduated from Troy Buchanan High School. She first married Jack Owen and this union was blessed with four children-Howard, Randy, Rodney and Jason, whom she raised with pride and solid moral and spiritual guidance. Eva was a Christian by faith and grew up primarily attending the Holinesschurch as well as Corinth and Moscow Mills Christian churches. She was also a member of Calvary Chapel of Troy, Missouri for many years with the spiritual guidance of pastor Wes Denham, prior to a lengthy illness that limited her ability to attend services there. 

Eva later married James "Craine" Norton on August 9, 2000 near Eagle, Colorado, a union that proved to be a love for the ages with Craine remaining a loving and ever-present companion for the next twenty-six years until her death. Some of her hobbies included riding horses, tending to her flower gardens and cooking up a storm for her family, in non-election years of course. Eva was a loving wife, mother, sister, grandmother and great-grandmother who will be greatly missed and long remembered by all those who knew and loved her.

She is survived by husband J.W. "Craine" Norton, sons Howard (Ann), Randy (Michelle), Rodney (Holly), Jason (Jericho), step-children Stephanie Norton and Cassandra Cruz, twenty-two grandchildren and several great grand children, sister Clara Jeanne Wells, former-husband Jack Owen, and many other relatives and friends. 

Eva was preceded in death by her parents, one infant sister Dorothy Wells and a grandson, Luke Cruz.

Private graveside services were held Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026 at 10:30a.m. at the Briscoe Cemetery in Lincoln County, Missouri, with longtime friend and spiritual advisor Reverend George Prior officiating. In lieu of flowers, family has requested that memorials may be made to the Briscoe Cemetery, c/o McCoyBlossom Funeral Home in Troy, MO. A public celebration of life will be announced at a later date for anyone wishing to pay final respects to Eva. Family and Friends may sign the online guest book @www.mccoyblossomfh.com