Reginald Owen Sear

R. Owen Sear, age 90, of Winter Haven, Florida, passed away peacefully on March 12, 2026, at Winter Haven Hospital.

Born on April 27, 1935, in Shanghai, China, to Robert Vaughan Sear and Lillian Ritchie Sear, Owen spent his early childhood in China. A British citizen by birth, he and his family were interned for two and a half years in a Japanese concentration camp in Shanghai during World War II. After their release, the family lived in Canada and Colombia before settling in the United States, where Owen became a naturalized citizen at the age of 18.

He earned both his undergraduate degree and his Doctor of Medicine from Johns Hopkins University, graduating in 1962. Specializing in pathology and nuclear medicine, he devoted most of his career to serving as a pathologist at Winter Haven Hospital until his retirement in 1997. Owen embraced life with energy and curiosity. An accomplished athlete in college, he ran track, played football, and spent summers lifeguarding in Ocean City, Maryland. He later earned his pilot’s license and enjoyed flying his family on many trips. An avid golfer, skier, and later snowboarder, he also competed in triathlons, loved boating, and maintained a lifelong appreciation for music and dance. He was known for his thoughtful letters to the editor and for gathering regularly with friends for poker.

Owen is survived by his wife of 23 years, Julie Sear; his son, Owen Sear, Jr.; his daughter, Kelley Sear; and four grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his children, Shawn Rice and Ryan Sear; his parents; and his sisters, Romany Wilkinson and Dorothy Gable. He will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by his family.