Charles “Owen” Vessell Jr, 92, of Evansville, IN passed away at 12:30 PM Monday, October 8, 2018 at West River Health Campus. Owen was born on December 12, 1925 in Paducah, KY. He was the son of Charles Owen and Louise (Grogan) Vessell.
The family moved to Evansville when he was two years old. Owen graduated from Caze Elementary School and Bosse High School. When Owen was a senior at Bosse High School, WWII was raging. He graduated one semester early and joined the Navy in January 1944. He was an aircraft radio man 3rd class on an aircraft carrier in the Pacific headed for Japan when WWII ended. He also graduated from Lockyear’s Business College with an associate degree after returning from service in the Navy.
He met Marilynn Wathen, and after dating for some time proposed marriage to her at the Roca Bar. She said yes, and they married in 1947. In 1949, he and Eldon Comstock established Comstock and Vessell Trim Shop later becoming Vessell Trim Company.