have many pictures of Tom, but my favorite is in front of his big yellow truck. There is a story behind that. My parents moved to CA after the folding of US Steel. My Dad ran the open hearth at Kaiser Steel, until it closed. Tom was in Ohio by this time and part owner of a Harley Davidson Motorcycle store, it burned to the ground about 3 years into the opening. No insurance, so Dad got Tom a job with a company associated with Kaiser. (Foseco)--It closed when Kaiser did during the recession; Tom kind of floundered a little, moving from one franchise of some sort to another until I introduced him to teaching. He went back to school and became one of the best teachers in the state of California for troubled kids. He influenced more children, including my own 4. He was the best uncle anyone could have. He married and divorced, sorry to say she had an affair, but fortunately there were no children. He also was the best brother. His health began declining and he had a stroke in January of 2001. About this time Dick and I were going to move to Utah as all of our children but one were there. We tried to get him to move with us, but he loved CA and his friends there and his job. When he was hospitalized the first time in 200? the doctors said he only had a little while to live because his liver was damaged from the gasteral-bipass surgery he had the year before. He was gone within 6 months. He died in a hospital in Whittier, CA. We had a funeral for him in Apple Valley and then brought him up here to Utah to be buried close to my grandson in Pleasant Grove, UT, 7 miles from where I live. Then shortly thereafter Dick passed away--March 16, 2011. He is buried next to Tom. I am sad without my men. I had such a wonderful life with them. But now I have 9 1/2 grand children ranging in ages 19 to waiting to be born in June. We are a busy little group. This tribute was written by Tom’s sister, Olive (Oddie) Ow Emerson for the USC65 Reunion.

I have enjoyable recollections of Tom and his friendly and smiling ways dating all the back to Cub Scouts.  The fondest of times I recall of Tom are of some of his 'antics' conducted in concert with comparably good natured classmates of ours, Jim Lowstetter and Dave Searles (Dave move from USC several years before '65).

Charles Thomas Ow died in California in 2006. He graduated from Grove City College in 1969 and worked in the area at steel mills and foundries. He was married for a short time and no children came from that union.   Tom was the “Big O,” a gentle, kindly giant. He played football for four years and was a shot-putter on the track team. According to his friend, Paul Milliken, he taught school to troubled teens in his later years and was quite active in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.   He was a Harley-Davidson guy. He rode one and worked from time to time at the local dealer. Even transplanted to California he loved Pittsburgh, particularly the Steelers and Pirates. He wouldn’t be the first West Coast biker wearing Steeler colors, but maybe the most gentle giant.