Contributed by Eileen Gillette
Description: Thomas Owens Dies In Monterey, CA
Date: February 22 1979Newspaper published in: Hawthorne
Thomas Leon OWENS, 37, of Hawthorne died Sunday in Monterey, CA.
OWENS diedof undetermined causes after successfully completing an underwater navigation course as part of his Professional Association of Diving Instructors Open Water Certification Course.
That course took 7 to 15 minutes to complete and water depth was 15 to 20 feet.
Both OWENS and his partner Alan COOMBS, had surfaced and were swimming to shore , when OWENS started to lag behind. COOMBS swam to OWENS and found him on his back apparently not breathing. He then signaled instructor Mike CROUCH, who swam out to assist. OWENS was pronounced dead at the Community Hospital of Monterey Peninsula.
According to Monterey County Deputy Coroner, Paul D. CROSSMAN, both drowning and air embolism have been ruled out but the exact cause of death is yet to be determined.
Born 30 Apr 1941 in Winnsboro, TX, OWENS came to Hawthorne in 1942 and attended local schools. He served in the Air Force and also had been a supply technician at the ammo plant in Hawthorne. He was a member of the Elks Lodge and the Nevada National Guard.
OWENS is survived byhis wife, Ruth; sons, Timothy, Russell, Scott, Jeffery and Dean; daughter, Kimberli, all of Hawthorne; brother Richard; sister, Mrs. William CAVIN; parents. Mr. and Mrs. Dick OWENS, all of Albuquerque, NM.
Funeral was scheduled for yesterday in Hawthorne with interment in the Hawthorne Cemetery.

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