Warsaw accountant Lowell Owens' colleagues, friends and flight instructor remember him as an avid airplane lover and hard-working accountant.
Lowell Owens, 64, and his wife Susan, 51, died Saturday when their single-engine Piper PA-28 went down near the rural community of Washburn, Tenn., about 35 miles northeast of Knoxville.
The Owenses were flying back from Gatlinburg, Tenn., to Warsaw when the plane went down.Investigators do not know what caused the crash. The National Transportation Safety Board will publish a preliminary report about the investigation 10 to 14 days after the Federal Aviation Administration turns it over to the board.
The 911 call was approximately at 12:20 p.m. Saturday.
The plane the couple was riding in belonged to Bruce Jackson, Syracuse, who lent it to the Owenses for their flight. They flew out of Warsaw Municipal Airport on Thursday, according to Lowell's flight instructor, Jon Fussle.
Lowell was a private pilot and a certified public accountant who founded the Owens & Co. P.C. accounting firm in 1981 in Warsaw.
Lowell began serving on the Kosciusko Community Hospital board in 1995. He served on the Health Care Foundation of Kosciusko County from 1995 to 2007.
Susan had been employed by KCH since 1991. She most recently worked as a biller at Warsaw Family Medicine.
They had three adult children, 10 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
"We are greatly saddened by the loss of Suzie and Lowell Owens, who graciously donated countless hours in service to our community through hospital board participation," said Steve Miller, KCH CEO.
Warsaw Mayor Ernie Wiggins said his prayers are with the Owens family.
"As a fellow certified public accountant, Lowell was well-respected in the community, serving on many boards and giving of his time and talents, and will be missed," Wiggins said.
Fussle, Warsaw Flying Club president, was Lowell's friend and his flight instructor. Fussle said Owens was a client of the flying club where he learned to fly.
"There is nothing wrong with dying of old age, but Lowell died pursuing his passion. He died doing something he loved," Fussle said.
Owens initially began his flight training in 2005 and was issued a private pilot's license in 2006.
"He worked very hard at being a safe, diligent pilot and that's what makes this particularly hard to swallow," Fussle said.
Fussle said the last time he talked to Owens was Tuesday.
"I said hi in passing and he was on his way out to fly. He flew Tuesday and left for his vacation on Thursday," Fussle said.
He said Owens was in training for his instrument rating.
A private pilot license provides someone with a privilege of flying an aircraft. An instrument rating adds onto the private pilot's license and gives that person the opportunity to fly in anything less than perfect weather, Fussle said. He said the instrument rating is a supplement to a private pilot license.
Fussle said he was notified by friends Saturday night of the Owens' deaths.
Having served as Lowell's flight instructor, Fussle said he has many memories of Lowell. Fussle said he and Lowell often had breakfast at Dig's Diner.
"We schemed together and planned, and he was my campaign manager back when I was planning on running for county commissioner," Fussle said.
Fussle said the two talked politics a lot and said Lowell was very involved in the community.
"He was an accountant by profession and he was passionate about his work," Fussle said.
However, Fussle said when Owens stepped outside his office, he did things he loved to do, whether it was flying, giving back to the community, or hosting foreign exchange students in his home.
"I was blessed to have him as a mentor. He lived life with his arms wide open," Fussle said.
Funeral arrangements for the Owens are pending at Redpath-Fruth Funeral Home.
