Owen Francis Larkin
Obituary
Owen Larkin died October 19th, 2021 at the age of 88.
Owen was born on June 21,1933 in Watsonville, CA. He was the eldest of two sons born to Frank and Edith (Krikac) Larkin. He was raised there and attended Watsonville High School graduating in 1951. After one year at Salinas College, he enlisted with the United States Air Force and spent most of his next four years in Germany. After his tour of duty, he came home to California and completed his Associates Degree at Salinas College and married Joanne (Ribaudo) Larkin. They had five children: Lynn, Steve, Diane, Julie and Lisa.
Owen, with his brother Dean and father Frank, opened the doors of Larkin Tractor Co in 1960, a thriving farm equipment business in the Salinas Valley. Together they started a small cattle breeding operation, Larkin Polled Herefords, which would become a catalyst for the Larkin families to move to Oregon in 1971. They purchased another Ford/New Holland tractor dealership operating as Larkin Tractor in Redmond, OR and a ranch in Tumalo for the cattle operation.
In 1976 Owen started another farm equipment business in Terrebonne, OR, Deschutes Valley Equipment. He owned and operated there until his retirement at the age of 80.
In 1998 he married Rebecca (Frey) Larkin, mother of three children, Sherry, Tami and Jason.
He was an active member of the Knights of Columbus, and a past Rotarian.
He enjoyed Sunday dinners with family and friends. Many family visits to Hawaii, annual fishing trips to Mexico, and Elk hunting with his close friends for many years. He was a devoted father, brother, uncle, husband, grandfather and great-grandfather.
He is survived by his wife Rebecca; daughters Lynn Larkin Farrell, Diane Burroughs, Julie Larkin Ohngren, Lisa Larkin; and son Steven Larkin; granddaughters Janessa Ramp, Ashley Boatman and Audrey Bork; and 3 great-grandchildren, Kaidyn, Kylar and Jace Boatman; stepchildren Tami Lee, Sherry Doggett and Jason Herman; sister-in-law, Patricia (Matus) Larkin; nephews Timothy Larkin, Kenneth Larkin, Jeffrey Larkin; nieces, Laurie Boyd, and Cheri Trowbridge, their children and grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents Edith (Krikac) and Frank Larkin, and brother Dean Larkin.
In lieu of flowers the family suggests donations be made to St Jude's Hospital for Children.
Published in The Pajaronian · November 7, 2021