John Owen was graduated in journalism from the University of Montana where he met his wife, Alice.

He  served as a military  cryptographer in the Army during the Korean conflict.

Owen worked for the Bismarck Tribune and Yakima Herald then spent 40 years at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, most of that time as sports editor,  sports columnist and as author of a weekly Intermediate Eater cooking column.

He was named Sportswriter of the Year in the State of Washington on seven occasions and covered six Olympiads.

He was in San Francisco during the Earthquake World Series and traveled to Zaire with Muhammad Ali and George Foreman for "The Rumble in the Jungle."

Owen has written nine books on sports, travel and food.  He also served on occasion as restaurant critic for the Post-Intelligencer.

Upon his semi-retiriement he moved to the Edmonds Bowl and with his wife established that as their base for extensive world travel. They recently signed on for their 22nd Roads Scholar trip.

They have also traveled with Rick Steves' Europe Through the Back Door excursions and with Untours which allowed them to take up temporary residence in sites like Venice, Italy  and Locarno, Switzerland.

The Owens are film buffs and for the past six years have attended the Palm Springs International Film Festival.

Alice is a professional artist and a longtime member of the Northwest Watercolor Society and Women Painters of Washington.

The Beacon columnist and his wife reside a lob shot away from the petanque courts on Civic Field, Edmonds' equivalent of Yankee Stadium.

John Owen's e-mail address is ieater@comcast.net.