Queen Latifah's Mother Rita Owens Dead at 69 Owens died on Wednesday, Mar. 21 after struggling with a heart condition for years, according to reports. Anyone that has ever met her knows what a bright light she was on this earth. She was gentle, but strong, sweet, but sassy, worldy but pragmatic, a woman of great faith and certainly the love of my life. Owens was battling with heart failure since 2004. Queen Latifah –real name Dana Owens – opened up about the condition in a Mother's Day video for the American Heart Association in 2016. Fans of the series Living Single may remember Owens stepping in to play Queen Latifah's character's mother.