Ronell Lester Owensby, 86, of Gaffney, died May 13, 2019.

He was a graduate of Mars Hill Junior College, Carson-Newman University and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He served as a trustee at Carson-Newman University for five years. He served as pastor of churches in North Carolina and Virginia before he and his wife served as International Mission Board missionaries to Venezuela for six years. Following their missions service, he accepted the call as pastor of Cowpens First Baptist Church, where he served for 17 years. He also served several interim pastorates in North and South Carolina after retirement in 1999.

Survivors include his wife, Ann Pack, one daughter, four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a daughter, Ronetta Owensby Lackey.