It’s with sadness we have to report the passing of Tom Gawronski. Tom was literally a fixture on the OB Planning Board as he was a member of its board for years and even decades. (See my delightful interview with him and Jane here back in 2013.)
This is the official obituary:
Thomas Henry (Tom) Gawronski was born September 22, 1940, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and died June 29, 2024, in San Diego, California. He was preceded in death by his parents, Henry and Stella, and his sister, Julianna Vogel. He is survived by his wife, Jane, and his daughter Stacia and her husband, Fred Bayerlein.
Tom graduated from MIT in 1962 and married Jane soon after graduation. He and Jane relocated to Pullman, WA, where Tom received a master’s degree from the University of Washington in 1964. They then moved to New Hampshire, where Tom obtained a Ph.D. from Dartmouth University in 1968.
In 1974, Tom and his family moved to San Diego, California. He began working for Beckman Instruments, and through many corporate reorganizations and mergers, he continued working for Beckman for 30 years. He retired in 2004. At that time, he and Jane were living in the Ocean Beach neighborhood of San Diego.
After he retired, Tom became active in supporting his community. He was a member of the Ocean Beach Planning Board for many years, and was also active in the Ocean Beach Historical Society. Tom also volunteered for the Parish of Sacred Heart Catholic Church on the Finance Committee.
Tom’s hobbies and interests over the years included the martial arts, and he earned his black belt in Tai-Karate in 1990. He also loved golf, travel and gardening. He was an avid reader. He also was a regular participant at a monthly poker game with his friends.
There will be a Visitation on August 28, 2024, from 4 – 6 p.m. This will be an informal opportunity to share stories and remembrances of Tom. There will be a Funeral Service at Sacred Heart Catholic Church at 10 a.m. on August 29, 2024, with lunch to follow in the Church hall. After lunch, he will be interred at Holy Cross Cemetery at 1:15 p.m.
Memorial contributions to the Ocean Beach Historical Society or to your favorite charity would be appreciated.
This is super sad and my heart goes out to Jane and their family. Tom and Jane are two of my favorite old time ocean beach residents and Tom’s spirit in OB will be missed. He had a subtle sense of humor and his opinions and votes on the planning board were always thoughtful and sometimes surprising (especially when they were opposite of Jane’s). Gone but never forgotten.