John Thomas Owings Jr., loved cars

John Thomas Owings Jr., 77, boarded the sunset train in Millsboro Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022. Destination: the great beyond.

Tom was born March 6, 1945. In his youth, Tom was a high school track star and valedictorian. He graduated from Northwestern University in Evanston, where he was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. As a younger man, he was a workaholic but he overcame that affliction, mostly.

Across eight decades, he lived in many houses in many states. But home was wherever Linda was, his wife of 26 years. She helped him become a better husband, a better father and a better man. 

Tom was the consummate car guy. He loved talking, watching and reading about them. More than anything, he loved driving them, the faster, the better. He owned more than anyone can reliably tabulate.

He’s survived by his wife, Linda; his son Adam, wife Holley, and grandchildren Rowan and Aurelia; his daughter Emily Brunner, husband Patrick, and grandchildren Donny, Beau and Jane; his daughter Lesa McHale, and grandchildren Cavan and Lulu; his dogs, Lucky and Oliver; and several pristine houseplants.

Of his children, Tom once wryly opined they were “a lot more fun after they were all over 30.” Tom adored his family. Caring for them was his life’s ambition, and perhaps his greatest achievement.

Known aliases included Tom, Big Tom, Old Bean, Dad and Gramps. Rumor had it he was known as The Hurricane among a cadre of locals in St. Thomas Virgin Islands due to the great banana daiquiri fiasco of ‘96; those reports are unconfirmed, but also the stuff of legend.

Tom was born on a Tuesday. And on a lovely Saturday in autumn, he climbed aboard the Celestial Express, where other family awaited him in the not-so-quiet car: his father John Thomas Senior (“Jack”); mother Dorothy (née Steiber); and brother Ronald.

We love you. We miss you. We’ll all catch later trains, and see you again further on up the line.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Delaware Humane Association Rehoboth, delawarehumane.org/donate/gift.

Online condolences can be left by visiting melsonfuneralservices.com.