Shelly Owens

Palmer resident Shelly Owens, 39, died at home after a three-year fight against metastatic breast cancer. A memorial will be at 2 p.m. today at the Alaskan Heritage Memorial Chapel, 1015 Check Street in Wasilla.

Owens was born March 22, 1968, in Youngstown, Ohio, to Edward and Susan Thorsby. Her family moved to Anchorage in 1984, living the life of a military dependent. She was a University of Alaska Anchorage graduate, all the while maintaining full-time employment. She left employment with the state shortly after the birth of her second son so she could be the mother she always wanted to be.

Owens will be remembered as a vibrant, caring and strong mother. She was a voracious reader who would read anything from Shakespeare and Voltaire to Sederis and Vowell. She also loved to hike, bike and camp.

Owens was occasionally frustrated that breast cancer events and awareness seemed to focus much less on the fact that many younger women have advanced stages of breast cancer as well. She would like others to remember these women are equally affected by the disease and many times have the additional difficulty of having young children.

The family appreciates the support of friends and the staff at Katmai Oncology Group at Providence Hospital, with a special thank you to Terri Tope for the hope, comfort, respect and humor provided through her fight with the serious disease.

Owens is survived by her husband, Sean Owens; sons, Connor, 6, and Ryan, 3; sister, Shannon (Pro) Mitra; and parents, Susan and Edward Thorsby. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to a college fund for her two children. Contact the family for information.