Lara Jonne' Pardue Owen, 43, of East Brainerd, in Chattanooga, Tenn. passed away Friday, June 8, 2012.Lara graduated Girls Preparatory School 1987 and graduated Hampshire College in Amherst, Mass. and later graduated East Tenn. State University with a degree in Nursing. As a nurse Lara specialized in oncology nursing.She attended the University of the West Indies where she worked with under-privileged children. Lara was a kind, gentle, soft spoken daughter, mother, sister and is greatly missed. Her love and kindness extended especially to children and animals. Lara donated her time and efforts to rescue animals. She was preceded in death by her step father, Kerry Nance; maternal grandmother, Betty S. Horton; paternal grandfather Paul Gray Jr.; and paternal grandmother Phyllis Parsons.She was a member of Naomi Baptist Church.Survivors include her parents, Kenneth D. Pardue, of Acworth, Ga., and Karen Horton Nance, of East Brainerd; brother, Michael T. Pardue, of Ocala, Fla.; daughter, Maia Sophia Owen, of Memphis, Tenn.; son, Alexander Madison Owen, of Chattanooga, Tenn.; former husband, Sterling W Owen, IV; and maternal grandfather William W. Horton. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, June 12, at Heritage Funeral Home Chapel with Reverend Dr. Jim Philpott, LMFT; PHD officiating, of Christ United Methodist Church. Interment will follow in Hamilton Memorial Gardens. If you would like to honor Lara with a donation she would be pleased, to McKamey Animal Center or American Heart Association. Visit www.heritagefh.com to share words of comfort to the family.The family will receive friends from 4 to 8 p.m. Monday June 11, at Heritage Funeral Home, 7454 E. Brainerd Road, Chattanooga, TN 37421.