With profound sadness and enduring gratitude, Pi Kappa Phi mourns the passing of Durward Warren Owen, Xi (Roanoke), the Fraternity’s beloved honorary Fourth Founder. Durward passed away on April 20, 2025, at the age of 94, leaving behind a legacy that shaped Pi Kappa Phi into the organization we know today.
Born on August 30, 1930, in Roanoke, Virginia, to George and Gladys Owen, Durward was the eldest of two children. His deep sense of faith and service was nurtured early on through his involvement in Sunday school, where he also met the love of his life, Hazel “Connie” Manning. From their youth, theirs was a story of lifelong devotion. Durward and Connie began dating as teenagers and were later married, starting a partnership that would carry them through life.
Baseball was Durward’s first great passion, and his talent on the field earned him an athletic scholarship to Roanoke College. There, in a decision that changed his life forever, he joined the Xi Chapter of Pi Kappa Phi. Like many of his generation, Durward’s college career was interrupted by a call to serve in the military. After completing his service in both the Army and Air Force, he returned to Roanoke and earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1955. He would later receive a master’s degree in business administration from Florida Atlantic University.
In 1959, his life and Pi Kappa Phi’s future took an unexpected new direction when he was offered the role of executive secretary. With Connie’s support, Durward accepted. On July 1, 1959, he reported for work in Sumter, South Carolina, for what he told Connie, “Would only be for two years.” This marked the beginning of a tenure that would span decades and forever change the Fraternity.
For the next 35 years, Durward dedicated himself wholly to the betterment of Pi Kappa Phi. He was a visionary and a servant leader, helping the Fraternity expand from mostly a small southern fraternity into a national brotherhood rooted in service, character and leadership. In 1966, Durward led the effort to form Pi Kappa Phi’s national housing corporation, Pi Kappa Phi Properties. In 1977, he was instrumental in founding The Ability Experience, calling it his greatest Pi Kappa Phi accomplishment, and played a central role in defining the lifelong commitment to servant leadership that remains central to Pi Kappa Phi’s mission. Today, Pi Kappa Phi is viewed as an industry leader in philanthropy, service and housing because of Durward’s vision and leadership.
During his tenure as executive secretary, later called executive director, Durward led Pi Kappa Phi through a transformative era of unprecedented growth and change. Under his leadership, the Fraternity expanded its national footprint, with 46 chapters in 1959 growing to 136 chapters and six associate chapters by 1994. He created the Nu Phi Society in 1983 and inspired a culture of unprecedented alumni volunteerism and engagement nationwide.
Recognizing the evolving landscape of fraternity life, Durward pioneered foundational risk management policies long before such practices became standard in the fraternal world. This included his work founding FIPG and later the FRMT insurance group. He championed education, accountability and safety, laying the groundwork for the comprehensive health and safety initiatives that protect our members to this day. His forward-thinking approach ensured that Pi Kappa Phi could grow not just in size but in integrity and sustainability. A member of the North American Interfraternity Conference Board of Directors and president of Fraternity Executives Association, Durward was recognized with distinguished honors from both organizations.
Durward never sought recognition, but he received plenty. At the 49th Supreme Chapter in 1994, the Fraternity bestowed upon him the lifelong title of “Honorary Fourth Founder,” an unprecedented honor reserved for the one man whose impact paralleled our Founders. He was named Mr. Pi Kappa Phi in 2006, inducted into the Pi Kappa Phi Hall of Fame in 2020 and in the same year, was named a Roanoke College Medalist, Roanoke’s highest honor for alumni. More than any accolade, Durward valued brotherhood – the lives it changed, the students it inspired and the friendships it forged.
Durward is survived by his children: Melissa Luer and her husband, Bill, of New Orleans; David Owen and his wife, Leigh Ann, of Greenville, South Carolina; and Sally Jackson and her husband, Bill, of Charlotte. He is also survived by eight grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren and many nieces, nephews and extended family.
A service to celebrate Durward’s life will be on Saturday, May 31. A Celebration of Life has been planned for Friday, May 30. Please click here for additional information. In lieu of flowers, gifts in Durward’s memory may be made to The Ability Experience or the Pi Kappa Phi Foundation.
In his own words, at the time of his retirement, Durward shared, “The pleasure of serving Pi Kappa Phi has been all mine. The debt is mine, too, for I am forever appreciative of having had the honor of serving Pi Kappa Phi. I want to make it clear: I have always received more than I have given. This has never been an even relationship. It has been a labor of love.”
Farewell, Brother Owen. Thank you for your example, your vision and your unwavering love for this brotherhood. We are forever grateful.