I realize this sympathy note comes extremely late. It is with great sadness that I express my condolences to the family of A.J. Owens.
Earlier this month, I heard about A.J.’s passing after talking with a coworker who used to work with him at the CSX yard in Willard. We had been talking about the railroad on the Great Lakes Division which includes the Willard area, and I inquired about A.J. and how he was doing. I had no idea, and I am very sorry. I used to work with A.J. regularly while I was a train dispatcher, albeit remotely via phone and radio from Jacksonville, Florida. When we had down time, we used to talk a lot.
What impressed me the most about A.J. was his spirit. Amidst all he had been through, he remained upbeat and determined to beat the Astrocytoma. From talking with him, I could tell how much he loved his wife, Nancy, and how happy he was to be married to her. Upon hearing that I was a Siena grad, he also never ever let me forget that he was an alumnus of OSU. If the railroad was in particularly bad shape, one only had to talk with A.J. for a few minutes, and he would change your perspective. He had a fantastic sense of humor and always kept his wits about him. Again, I am very sorry to hear about A.J. My family and I will keep him and his family in our prayers.
