Dannetta K. Thornton Owens

Dannetta Kennon Thornton Owens (born December 15, 1938 in Birmingham; died December 2018) was a professor of foreign languages and dean of continuing education at Lawson State Community College, and a two-term member of the Birmingham Board of Education representing District 5.

Dannetta was the daughter of Daniel Kennon Jr and the former Verna Herron. She attended Graymont Elementary School and Parker High School, graduating as valedictorian of the class of 1955. She went on to complete a bachelor's degree in modern foreign languages at Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee in 1959. She earned a master's degree at Indiana University in 1969 and went on to earn an advanced certificate in French at Carleton University in 1967. She continued her education with a Ph.D. in education administration and higher education at the University of Alabama in 1977 and a juris doctor from the Birmingham School of Law in 1996.

Owens began her teaching career at Moton High School in Leeds and later taught at Birmingham's Ullman High School before joining the faculty at Lawson State. She taught modern foreign languages and retired as dean of continuing education.

In Thornton Owens' bid for a a third term on the Board of Education in the 2009 election, she lost to Emanuel Ford by 47 votes (2.3%).

She was also the president and CEO of Kennon Family Investments & Properties. She was married to the late architect Ken Owens and has four children, Kevin, Keith, William and Verna.

References

• "Birmingham Board of Education District 5: Dannetta K. Thornton Owens" (August 17, 2009) The Birmingham News