This is a tough post for me to write. My longtime friend, mentor, partner in crime and galactic man of action, Creston Owen has passed away. It leaves a hole in my heart a mile wide. My heart goes out to his great family and the large circle of friends he leaves behind.
While I was writing this my daughter asked what “Galactic Man of Action” meant. Let me answer by telling a short story (note that this isn’t my favorite CMO story but that’s for another time): About 12-18 months ago I had a private meeting with CMO and 2 other folks. See, I had heard of this “sesquicentennial” thing and I thought we should do something about it. I wanted to have a skirmish on Battle street! We needed a couple of horses riding around and some people firing off muskets. Maybe a dozen or 2 dudes dressed up in uniform. Seemed really exciting. CMO looked at me accross the table and asked “are you asking me to do this?” With little in the way of reflection about the gears I already saw turning in his head I answered “yes.” He said “done.” We busted up the meeting and I didn’t hear from him for about three weeks.
When we finally reconvened I went over to his office and he bounded into the room (by that point he must have lost 80 pounds so he could indeed bound!) and said he had something for me to look at. He plopped a 15 page presentation into my lap that detailed a re-eneactment of the Battle including 20,000 re-enactors and 100,00 spectators, a Blue & Gray ball, “Dinner with the Generals”, a slew of ongoing events and the establishment of a foundation to make this an ongoing event.
I was stunned.
I looked at him and asked, “where’s the event on Battle street?”
he called me a bad name….:)
Thank you CMO. Thanks for your service to our community and thanks to your family for providing the base of support that makes service possible. I can’t believe you’re not here anymore…it just doesn’t seem possible……
December 1, 2010 at 11:44 am
I was shocked when I got to work this morning and found it out. Sad day indeed.
December 1, 2010 at 11:55 am
Very sad. A loss to his family. A loss to his company. A loss to his community. A loss to his friends. Very sad indeed.
December 1, 2010 at 12:45 pm
Great story, Andy. Just one of those larger than life people who could move mountains. You captured him perfectly. He not only shared his love of family, Manassas and the Virginia countryside with everyone, he was able to show how history and technology fit together like a glove. Prayers for his family and those who loved him in the tough days ahead.
December 1, 2010 at 1:52 pm
One less real leader. A loss for all. Deepest sympathy for his family
December 1, 2010 at 2:40 pm
I only had the chance to meet him once, at a Council meeting, but I came away impressed with his drive on his work for the anniversary of the War. Being a history nut, and former reenactor I very much supported his plans and also supported the City providing seed money for his organization. As we have learned since, it has been a good investment.
It’s a shame he will not the see the fruits of his labor.
I also want to echo what others have said, and will say a prayer for his family.
December 1, 2010 at 3:10 pm
Andy, you are right, this is a sad day for all of us.
Creston Owen was a great friend and supporter of
our community who invested his time, energy
and resources into helping his fellow citizens.
He was physically a big man, but his heart and
vision were even larger. He will be deeply missed.
My deepest sympathies to his family.
December 1, 2010 at 3:14 pm
I was doing some living history at the Manassas Museum two years ago when I met Creston during the Railway Festival. The lawn was pretty much empty as we stood next to the guns talking to the few who had wandered up. All of a sudden this crazy man comes screaming accross the lawn in a “golf” cart and yells out “what will it take to do a national sesquicentenial civil war reenactment? We talked for a while and then I said, but they don’t do reenactments in Prince William County, Manassas or otherwise – haven’t for 50 years. He saw the possibilties and life has not been the same since. We are gonna miss his energy and his vision for the Manassas he so dearly loved.