A Celebration of Life Services for Mr. Alphonso Owens of Tampa who passed away on Monday, November 11, 2013, will be held Saturday, November 23, 2013 at 11:00 a.m. at Aikens Funeral Home Chapel, 2708 E. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., Rev. Bruce Strange, officiating. Alphonso Owens was born on May 27, 1947 in Tampa, Florida to St. Nazier Owens and Georgia Mae Henry. He came to know Jesus as his Savior at a young age as a former member of New Bethel Progressive Missionary Baptist Church. Alphonso attended the local schools of Hillsborough County and graduated from Middleton High School, class of 1965. Upon graduation he was drafted in the United States Army, where he served for two tours in the Viet Nam War. He was united in holy matrimony to Leonida Meteye in 1987. Alphonso was a jack of all trades, loved RV Camping, fishing and was a practical joker. Alphonso worked as a truck driver doing long and local distributions for over forty years. He also worked as a security guard officer for a local band, The Montereys & Dolls in late 60's. Those who knew him called him "Al, Fonsa or FaFa". He was preceded in death by his father, loving daughter, Antrell Owens, 2 brothers, Jerome A. and Raymond Owens and a devoted sister-in-law, Irene Meteye. His memories will be cherish by his loving wife, Leonida Meteye; 4 children, Shanta' Owens, Robert Jones (Taneya) and Torrence Meteye (Tikilia); grandchildren, Azarias Jones, Neomi Jones, Shandlyn Murray, Torre Meteye, Nikita Meteye, Materrance Meteye and Torrence Meteye, Jr.; mother, Georgia M. Owens; brothers, Freddie Owens (Diana), Reginald Lowe (Otella) and Ike Johnson (Pam); sisters, Bettye Lou Owens, Vivian Heyward (Chris), Miriam V. Mitchell (Joseph), Sylvia Owens and Sandra Brown (Duane); nephews, Michael Owens (Pamela), Mark Owens (Wanda), Freddie Owens, Jr. (Jocherie), Scott Owens (Hope), Patrick Owens, Aaron Stanley, Antruuan Owens, Roland Owens, Tavares Owens, Kory Roberson (Xonjenise), Jerome J. Thomas, Jermaine Lowe (Shonda), Reginald Lowe, Jr., (Kashaudra), Isaih Johnson and Shannon Johnson; nieces, Helen Turner (Charles), Michelle Owens, Juanette "Gina" Owens, Tawanna Owens, DeAndre Levy, Betty J. Ligon, Tamara Carswell (Rico), Antoinette Stokes, IshMeka Johnson, Nykleshia Johnson, and Shantheria Johnson; in-laws, Carolyn Meteye, Denise James, Louise Leggett, Raymond Meteye, Clemon Meteye and Ralph Meteye; and a host of other sorrowing relatives, friends, neighbors, too numerous to mention but not forgotten. The visitation will be held at Aikens Funeral Home, Friday, November 22nd from 5 to 8 p.m. The family will receive friends during the wake hour from 5 to 6 p.m. The family and friends are asked to meet at the chapel on Saturday for the service.