On Monday, the City of Memphis officially designated a section of Scott Street as Noble H. Owens Street, honoring the legacy Owen Funeral Home Founder Noble H. Owens Sr. and his son, Noble H. Owens Jr. — two generations of Black business leaders whose compassion and stewardship will long be remembered in the Binghampton community.
Owens Sr. founded the business in 1912, beginning in a modest house in Binghampton at a time when Black families were forging paths through segregation to carve out neighborhoods and institutions of their own. The funeral home soon became a cornerstone. It hosted an annual community picnic, provided food during holidays, and, when needed, offered services to families who could not afford to pay.
Their guiding belief emerged as the motto that defined the work: “Serving with compassion, dignity and excellence.”…