Paulinskill/Owen Sturm has passed away UPDATE 11-10-2011 4PM

thanks so much for posting a great picture of him. I never knew him except through his posts. How did John Donne say it, "so ask not for whom the bell tolls, for it tolls for thee." We will miss him.

Stunningly sad news. Like so many others hear I last saw Owen at York. He was always an outgoing and gregarious gentleman who's spirited attitude about trains was infectious. He will be missed.

God speed Owen.

While I never met Owen, I knew him through the forum. What a great guy!! I just can't believe he is gone.....to those of you that knew him personally, you were so lucky. I am very sad for everyone because of the void we will have in our hearts and in the hobby. A prayer goes out to his family....I know he will be sadly missed......

Alan

Folks,

A lot of us are going to Allentown this week end. I think it would be appropriate to commemorate Owen at the breakfast and also with a moment of silence at 11 AM Saturday when we do the group photo in front of the OGR Booth.

I would like as many of us as possible to be there at 11 AM. Think of it as a beginning to show our regard for Owen and the lives he touched in the hobby.

Ed Boyle

I'd like to offer my condolences to Owen's family. I am sorry for your loss.

Norm Rish

Shocked and saddened !!! I too was at the 50th anniversary banquet and
I spoke with him briefly...but he and my son were engaged for awhile in conversation about something...not looking forward to him coming home from school and telling him this bad news...very very sad.

quote:

While it may out of line for me to recommend this, I sugggest that we dedicate January's Trainstock to the memory of Owen. I think Owen would gave been flattered by such a dedication since he enjoyed going to the NJ HiRailer's layout.

Erol;
I don't think you're out of line at all. I think that it would be a wonderful gesture as a way of remembering one of the nicest people this hobby has ever known. We could all hoist the beverage of our choice in one last toast to Owen.

Chuck (Trainpop),

As usual, you are right. To use your words, Owen was "one of the nicest people this hobby has ever known." That about sums it up best.

Erol

What sad news.

My deepest condolences to Owen's family. I am so very sorry for your loss.
May God comfort you and bless you at this time of sadness, and always.

I just saw him at York.

I had the pleasure of meeing Owen several years ago at our Allentown breakfast gathering. We would chat at York and at other train shows. He would always take a few moments to speak with my daughter Jessica, who goes to many of the shows with me.
I enjoyed teasing him about the layout he was building......since it came "in pieces"........

I will miss him

Sincerely

Frank

Owen will be missed by all.
I spoke with him at length this fall, and last spring at York. A very friendly gentleman, a pleasure and honor to have known him.

Deepest sympathies to his family!

From Marty Fitzhenry and Dotty Perry, Our sincerest condolences to Mary and her family. What a tragic loss for all of us in and out of the hobby.
Here's a picture I took last June: Marty Fitzhenry, Carl Chancey, Barry Broskowitz, and ... Owen.

I just logged on and read the news. I am shocked and saddened to hear of Owens passing. This is just terrible. My sincerest heartfelt condolences to Mary and the family.
Several years ago when I first met Owen he eagerly reached out to us and we became friends. We shared many stories about the love of two hobbies. When we ran into him at York he would always greet me warmly with a smile a handshake and embrace Paula with a hug and a kiss.
Owen was always ready to extend the hand of friendship to any fellow model railroader and always had a smile on his face. Owen was a dedicated family man (IIRC he was married to Mary for 50+ years), a great ambassador for the hobby and a fine friend. York just won't be the same without Owen Sturm.
You will be sorely missed but may the good Lord welcome you to heaven with open arms.
R.I.P my friend

Owen was just a beautiful person. I will miss seeing him at York, Allentown and the NJ HiRailer's Trainstock. There aren't too many people who were as universally liked and respected as Owen. I miss him already!

My condolences to Owen's family.

quote:

Erol;
I don't think you're out of line at all. I think that it would be a wonderful gesture as a way of remembering one of the nicest people this hobby has ever known. We could all hoist the beverage of our choice in one last toast to Owen.
. . . Trainpop

I could not agree more !

Eliot

I never met Owen, His family will be in our prayers.

Bill

quote:

Wow, this is rather unexpected. Was he in an accident? He was a nice guy and always had a story to share. I am glad I bumped into him at York last month. I did not think it would be the last time I would ever talk to him. RIP buddy.

According to the police report, Owen was seriously injuring while cleaning up some fallen trees on his property (the result of the Halloween weekend snowstorm here in N.J.). The accident occurred on Monday and he was flown by Medivac helicopter to the trauma unit in Morristown, where he died sometime this morning.

Owen was a kind,easy going, caring and a great ambassador to this hobby!!! Rest in peace my friend!!!!-Don Klose

I'm deeply saddened by this news. Although I've seen Owen at various events, I didn't get to meet him until the Lionel open house at Canfield, OH in August. I spent several hours chatting with him sharing "war stories" and we had a pleasant experience. His family is in my prayers.
Phil

Like the rest of you I'm really shocked and saddened by this news.

I first met Owen years ago at the first breakfast gathering at the Allentown Meet. At the time I had just barely gotten back involved with the hobby and was looking forward to making a holiday layout under the tree for my then almost 2 yr old son. Owen introduced himself to me and subsequently introduced me to a few other attendees. One of the topics we talked about was scenery making and he mentioned he had some information for me and would see that I would get it the following month at a Greenberg show. True to his word he caught up with me at the show a month later with a CDRom he had filled with scenery information. I still have it and refer to it still.

If there ever was someone who personified the best this hobby had to offer, Owen was that person. I always enjoyed speaking with him at the various shows and gatherings throughout the year...talking trains, hunting, and family. I will definately miss him.

As for Erol and Ed's suggestions concerning Trainstock and First Frost - I think it is an excellent idea to remember not only Owen but others who have left an imprint on us as people by virtue of being brothers and sisters in this wonderful hobby. After all, if it wasn't for this hobby how many of us would each other have ever gotten to know?

With deep sadness,

Greg

Erol,

Great idea and very appropriate, indeed.

Ed Boyle

I didn't know the man ... I don't really know anyone. But, I can tell from all the obviously sincere and heartfelt kind words .... that Owen must have been a very special person.

God Bless.

Jim

Owen bought a bunch of GarGraves track off of me about a year ago for his new layout. That was the one and only time I had ever gotten to speak with him unfortunately. I lived about two towns over, and we were surprised that there was a forum member so close. I hung out with Owen for about an hour or so that day, and he was nice enough to show me his layout room and his new track plan. I believe Owen had said he worked for GM for many years, which was kind of interesting because I had been a mechanic and into cars for quite some time. Owen was definitely a nice guy especially for me being an almost total stranger. This is terrible news.

Such shocking and sad news. I met Owen at the DCS users meeting, What a nice guy! My condolences to his family and friends.


George Flanagan

Are there any pictures of his layout, I know he was working on it alot

I just got home from work and had the intention of calling Owen tonight because he forgot somehting at our METCA dinner on saturday. Needless to say I was floored and shocked to read this very very sad news. Owen was one of the good guys in our O gauge family. Or maybe I should say he was one of the great guys. He always had a smile on his face and never had a bad word to say about anybody. He will be deeply missed by me. My condolences to Mary and all his family.
Our open houses will not be the same without Owens smiling face and wit.

We will definitely have a memorium for Owen at Trainstock.

I met Owen last year at York, he was a lovely man, and spent quite some time with me, making me feel welcome. I am very saddened by this news, my deepest sympathy to Owen's family and friends.

quote:

Originally posted by galley_proof:

According to the police report, Owen was seriously injuring while cleaning up some fallen trees on his property (the result of the Halloween weekend snowstorm here in N.J.). The accident occurred on Monday and he was flown by Medivac helicopter to the trauma unit in Morristown, where he died sometime this morning.

I am REALLY sad over this. I don't have a lot of good freinds, but I considered Owen one of them. He will truly missed by many.

R.I.P. Owen.

quote:

Originally posted by Lou:
..............Owen was definitely a nice guy especially for me being an almost total stranger. This is terrible news.

Lou, Owen never met a stranger, online or in person.

Mary and family are in our prayers. God bless!

First Frost will be empty no matter what the attendance without Owen there, he will missed. My condolences to his family. He was a class act.
R.I.P
JohnB

I have been in shock since I heard the news....

Owen was one of those people who make this hobby and Forum so special. I am truly sad at his passing. He was one of those people who made York so special for me. I will always treasure his memory and be thankful for the wonderful dinners/times we shared. I am at a loss for words.....My condolences go out to his family.

Owen, my friend, I am richer for knowing you. Be at peace, my friend. We will miss you.

Peter

I had the pleasure of meeting Owen at York. Sad news about a very nice gentleman.

Jack

Many thanks to Patrick H for snapping this photo of Owen, Andy and myself at the Lionel Open House.

I'm deeply saddened and quite shocked to be opening up the OGR forum to see this. Indeed, Owen was a great guy to know from this hobby and my sympathy goes out to his family.
Owen will be missed at the many functions we all attend.

A very humble suggestion:

Perhaps when the time is right someone here who lives near by or is close to the family, can print out this thread so the family can see just what kind of impact Owen had, and the legacy he leaves all of us who had the good fortune to be touched by his life.


David

Very sorry to hear of Paul's passing. My condolences to his family. We exchanged many an email on the WP. I wished I had been able to meet him in person.

I'm very sorry to hear about Owen's passing, I just had a great conversation with him on saturday night about how Lionel is doing. I was really shocked to read this, he really was a great guy. My condolences to his family.

Mathew

Owen's impact on our OGR family and the hobby is beautifully documented by the posts in this thread.

His enthusiasm and passion for the hobby along with his warm and friendly demeanor are just some of the wonderful qualities of this man.

As did most, I always looked forward to seeing him at York, Trainstock & the Allentown First Frost/Spring Thaw Meets and being greeted with a happy smile and handshake. It was enjoyable to see how excited he was about his layout and to look at the pictures of it he would show to my wife and I.

This is terribly tragic and saddening. Rest in peace Owen and God bless you and your family. For those of us who have met him, we are all the richer for it.

Very sorry to hear that. I had some long conversations with him on the phone about some electronic issues.. Last I heard from him he was rebuilding an old generator and we spoke about relay replacement. A very nice guy,I did not know or suspect that he was sick in any way. My condolences to his family. Very sad for me,I shall miss him.

Dale H