Rev. Jesse Eugene Bourne

Rev. Jesse Eugene Bourne, 87, passed away Saturday, February 1, 2020 at the Owenton Center.

Jesse was one of eight children. He was born January 31, 1933 to the late Orrine and Nettie Bourne on a small farm in Owen County located near the current schools. Coming from a large family, Jesse learned to help around the home with things such as cooking, tending to the animals, and numerous other chores on the farm. From this upbringing, he developed an appreciation for nature and became an excellent cook. He always enjoyed tending to his garden and flowers, cooking food for people, and having fellowship with his friends and neighbors. He and his brothers and sisters walked to Harris School House to attend elementary school and Jesse graduated from Owenton High School in 1951.

After high school, Jesse attended Georgetown College and Southern Seminary to pursue ministry. In 1952, he was ordained into the ministry by Beech Grove Baptist Church, his home church, and began pastoring his first church, Pleasant Home in Glencoe. After seminary, Jesse and his family moved to Eastern Kentucky to minister to the people living in the mountains. In the twenty-two years he lived in Eastern Kentucky, he pastored Smithsboro Baptist Church and West Liberty Baptist Church.

While serving as pastor at Smithsboro, the U.S. Corp of Engineers designed and implemented a flood control lake in the area where the church, Jesse’s home, and numerous other homes were located. Many homes were successfully loaded onto trucks and moved to new locations; however, the church building did not survive the trip. After the church building fell apart, Jesse successfully led the church in the construction of the new building which still stands today. Under Jess’s leadership, church membership grew even though the trying times of people being displaced and the new church building being constructed. Jesse and his family have remained in contact with numerous friends from the area and through the years, often traveled back to visit.

In 1980, Jesse moved back to Owen County to take care of his aging father-in-law and pastored Lusby Mill Baptist Church as well as working for the state of Kentucky. In 1995, he retired from the ministry and the state. After his retirement, he still served numerous churches by filling in for their current pastor when they would be away or serving as an interim pastor for churches that were searching for a full-time pastor. In his “retirement”, he served as interim pastor at First Baptist Church Owenton, Long Ridge, Worthville, Sanders, South Fork, New Liberty, Richland, Beech Grove, Poplar Grove, and New Columbus. While serving at these different churches, he acquired numerous close friends and learned a tremendous amount about Owen County. At his death, he was a member at First Baptist Church Owenton.

Jesse’s family has always been a support to him during his ministry. He married fellow Owen Countian Evelyn Jones Bourne on May 26, 1956 and were married 59 years. They had two children, five grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.

Jesse is preceded in death by his wife Evelyn, his son David, his five brothers, Olden Ray Bourne, William Melvin Bourne, Clifford Bourne, Ralph Burnard Bourne, and Donald Elwood Bourne, and his sister Nelba Bourne Haydon.

He is survived by his daughter Suzanne (Gregg) Peak, his daughter-in-law Sandy Bourne, his grandchildren Jeff (Lauren) Peak, Sarah Peak, Tyler (Karrie Beth) Bourne, B.J. (Molly) Hardy, and Caleb Bourne, his great-grandchildren Shelby Peak, Jackson Peak, Roman Bourne, Titus Bourne, and Collins Hardy and one sister Kathleen Flint.

McDonald & New Funeral Homes are in charge of arrangements. Family will receive friends at First Baptist Church on Wednesday, February 5, 2020 from 4 - 8 pm. Funeral services will be held at 11 am on Thursday at the church with Bro. Brad Banks presiding. Burial will be in the Owenton Cemetery.

The family requests memorials be made to Owenton First Baptist Church or the Southern Baptist Cooperative Program which supports home and foreign missions.