Lt. Cmdr. Michael David Owsiany

Photograph courtesy of
Delaware County Daily Times

Lt. Cmdr. Michael David Owsiany, 36;
registered nurse, native of Chester

By Gerry Oliver of the Times Staff

Lt. Cmdr. Michael David Owsiany, United States Naval Reserve, 36, of Ft. Defiance, Ariz, a native of Chester, died April 10 as a result of an automobile accident in Kayenta, Ariz.

A registered nurse stationed at the Ft. Defiance Hospital, Commander Owsiany was the son of Leonard Owsiany and Sarah Ann DieVart of Chester.

A graduate of Resurrection School in 1970 and St. James High School, Chester, in 1974, he was a 1992 honors program graduate of the University of Florida, Gainesville, Fla., nursing program with a bachelor's degree. He belonged to the National Honor Society there.

Commander Owsiany completed his first two years of the BSN program at Mansfield State University, where he earned a Master of Science degree in education and social science in 1990.

Earlier, he also attended Christopher Newport College, Newport News, Va., Bloomsburg State University in Pennsylvania and received a bachelor of arts in business degree in 1978 from St. Leo College, St. Leo, Fla. Commander Owsiany also earned 33 graduate credits in government and administration at West Chester University between 1978 and 1981, before going to Mansfield.

His early employment was as a production supervisor for Congoleum Corp., Marcus Hook, in 1978; a foreman at Sun Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, Chester, in 1979; and a high school teacher in the Chester-Upland district from 1979 to 1981.

Between 1987 and 1989, he worked as a manager/supervisor for Masonite Corp. in Towanda, Pa. He also was a graduate of Naval Officer Training School, Newport, R.I.

Commander Owsiany served in the active U.S. Navy from 1981 through 1987. During that time he was a division officer aboard the USS Dubuque from 1981 to 1982. Following that, as assistant department head (surface warfare officer) aboard the USS Saipan, from 1981 to 1985, his duties included directing up to 15 boats in beach assaults during participation in Operation Urgent Fury in Grenada.

Subsequently he served as executive officer in special operations aboard the USS Edenton from 1985 to 1987, when his duties included navigator, training officer, legal officer, maintenance manager and security manager. The Edenton participated in the Sixty Fleet during the 1986 Libya retaliations and Middle East operations.

From 1987 to 1990, he served with the Naval Reserve as liaison officer at the Naval Weapons Station, Earle, N.J., and from 1990 to the present, he was executive officer of Special Operations Command in the USCINSCO Theater of Operations.

He began his military career with the Army Transportation Corps where he served as an information specialist/journalist from 1975 to 1978.

His military awards included the Surface Warfare Pin, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Army Journalist of the Year, and numerous other commendations.

Commander Owsiany's activities included captaining the high school varsity football team and winning the Most Valuable Wrestler award. He enjoyed education, the outdoors, sports and coaching young people.

During high school and college, he took part in a variety of sports including golf, water polo, football, track, basketball. He also was active with the Red Cross, Big Brothers of America, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, and served as a Little League umpire, a member of the Ambulance Squad, the Divers Rescue Squad and International Management Council.

Surviving, in addition to his parents, are two sons, Michael David Owsiany Jr. and David Matthew Owsiany, both of Florida; four brothers, Leonard Owsiany of Florida, Robert Owsiany of Brookhaven, James Owsiany of Colorado, and Lawrence Owsiany of Maryland; five sisters, Julia McDonald of Honey Brook, Mary Louise Laboy of Chester, Theresa McHugh of North Carolina, Loretta Romo of Trainer, and Christine Meier of Delaware.

He was also the grandson of the late Walter and Agnes Owsiany and Francis and Stella DieVart.

The funeral will be at 8 a.m. Saturday from the Kaniefsky, Kendus D'Anjolell Memorial Home, 3900 W. 9th St., Trainer. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Saturday in Resurrection of Our Lord Catholic Church, 9th Street and Highland Avenue, Chester. Burial will be in Immaculate Heart Cemetery, Upper Chichester.

Calling hours are from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday and after 8 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home.

Memorial gifts may be sent to the Navajo Indian Reservation, Good Shepherd Episcopal Church, in care of Alane Saad, P.O. Box 2826, Window Rock, Ariz. 86515.

Thanks to Christine Owsiany Meier, sister, for sharing this obituary.

Reprinted by permission of the Delaware County Daily Times