A Note from Molly Moulton

Molly was a Tufts classmate of Owen’s and a good friend;
Molly’s father was a college classmate of Ed’s

Laurel and Ed,

I keep thinking about Owen’s smile and all the light he brought to the world, and I am so angry that his life was taken in such short order.

This weekend, I was thinking about how he introduced me to Bill Withers (what a gift!), how much he loved music that made you feel something. I remember meeting Owen for the first time at Tufts and feeling instantly comfortable around him, getting this unwavering sense that he was deeply good. One thing that was special about Owen was his lack of ego. He was always the first to appreciate others’ talents and strengths, to celebrate his friends’ triumphs; he was so proud of those he loved.

I remember how his face lit up when he talked about his little sister, and Jersey Boys. I remember when he and I decided to try out for the dance troupe at Tufts– “Spirit of Color”. We were so nervous, walking up the hill at Tufts as freshmen to the auditions, talking about how fun it would be to do this thing together. When I made the group and he didn’t, I think he spent about eight seconds feeling sorry for himself before giving me a huge hug and telling me how awesome it was that I would get to perform– without a hint of jealousy or resentment. Owen did that kind of thing all the time, in small ways and big, without hesitation. He knew when to make you laugh and when to share in your frustration. Being a good friend just came easily to him. It was simple.

Thank you for sharing Owen with me– what a profound joy it was to have known him.