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Dr. O’Dell M. Owens: He Made a Difference
Father. Mentor. Friend. Leader. Advocate. Genius.
Long considered one of Cincinnati’s Legendary Citizens, Dr. O’Dell Owens was a champion for the community in all aspects of life. Whether helping to create life as a globally renowned endocrinologist or using his platform as the Hamilton County Coroner to save teens from a life of violence and crime, Dr. Owens approached every project and initiative with a focus in making sustainable impacts across generations.
Dr. Owens was a proud alum of Woodward High School and went on to graduate from Antioch College (B.A.). He attended Makerre University in Uganda as a foreign exchange student, then earned his MD and Masters in Public Health from Yale University, concurrently.
He worked tirelessly as an advocate for improving public health and education, understanding that high quality educational opportunities connect to developing healthy communities. Dr. Owens served as President of Cincinnati State College, Interim Health Commissioner for the Cincinnati Health Department and President/CEO of Interact For Health.
Additionally, Dr. Owens served as board chair and one of the architects in expanding Cincinnati Preschool Promise services across Cincinnati Public School District. One of his many passions focused on early childhood literacy as a matter of public health. He was intensely dedicated to providing access to high-quality preschool education for all children in Cincinnati.
According to Dr. Owens’s philosophy, “Education is a gift from our past to the present to ensure our future. So the greatest gift you can give a child is learning how to read.”
As we mourn the profound loss to his wife, Marchelle and children, Christopher, Justin and Morgan--- we also celebrate Dr. Owens for the incredible impact his years of public service and innovative practices contributed to Cincinnati and to the world.
Father. Mentor. Friend. Leader. Advocate. Genius. He truly made a difference.