Owen H. Laubenthal, 89, of Elyria passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family on Monday, March 17 2025. Owen was born in North Ridgeville and lived the majority of his life in Lorain County. He was a member of St. Mary Catholic Church of Elyria and a veteran of the U.S. Army Owen worked his entire career as a truck driver retiring at 80; remarkably, with well over four million miles of road driven without a serious accident. Early miles were logged while delivering dairy products for the family business. He visited farms throughout Ohio, often with one of his children riding along as a helper. In later years, Owen drove semi-trucks to trade shows all over the country, and worked with engineers to test experimental life saving equipment. Owen enjoyed the rural beauty of the nation; he was a hard worker his entire life, starting young with paper routes, corn picking, egg packing and ridge running, where he developed his life long love of all types of motorized vehicles.

Owen loved his family, adored Joan, his wife of 68 years, he took great pleasure in the company of his grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great grandchildren, which were the centerpiece and joy of his life. He often cooked breakfast for the grand kids at the Lorain County Park Duck Pond. Owen spent happy days fishing with his loved ones on Lake Erie and loved stretching the story a bit too; he was an avid bowler; a fiercely competitive card player and a jokester. Owen took up golf late in life, frequently playing with his brother, his sons, and daughter to a "unique" set of rules. He will be greatly missed by all.

Owen is survived by his six children, Susan (Orbin) Ash, JoAnn Pryor, Linda Laubenthal, Joseph (Catherine) Laubenthal, Kathryn (Eric) Hume, Andrew (Belinda) Laubenthal; his brothers, Reverend Father Allan Laubenthal, Norman (Joan) Laubenthal and John (Ann) Laubenthal. His memory lives on with his eight grandchildren, fourteen great-grand children, and three great-great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife Joan (nee Britton), his parents, Arnold and Irene, his sister, Arlene (Robert) Wacker, and his grandsons, Christopher and Nicholas Hoy.

Family will receive friends Sunday, March 23, 2025, at the Laubenthal Mercado Funeral Home and Cremation Services 38475 Chestnut Ridge Road (at State Route 57) in Elyria from 1 pm until the time of memorial at 3 pm. The Funeral Liturgy will be celebrated the next day at 11 am on Monday, March 24, 2025 at St. Mary Church 320 Middle Ave., Elyria (please meet at church.) Reverend Father Allan Laubenthal, Owen's brother, will con-celebrate with Reverend Father Charles T. Diedrick. Committal will follow immediately at Brookdale Cemetery, 41600 Oberlin Elyria Rd., Elyria. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to St. Mary Church. Online condolences may be expressed at www.laubenthalmercado.com.