Obituary of Charles Robert Osgood

Charles Robert Osgood (Ozzie, Uncle Bob, Coach) was born October 28, 1923 to Charles O. and Winifred Osgood (Thompson) in Hoquiam, WA. He passed away after a brief illness on October 19, 2010 in Olympia, WA.Ozzie graduated from Elma High School in 1942 where he was an outstanding athlete earning several awards playing football. He went on to a distinguished college football career at Central Washington University where he was a starting guard on both offense and defense. His college education was interrupted by his enlistment in the Marine Corps. He graduated from Central in 1949. He was presented with the Williamson Award as the most valuable small college football player in the country and also was named to both the AP and UP Little All-American football team in 1948. While at Central, Ozzie was a member of three championship football teams and he was named to the all-conference team three years. In 1983, Ozzie was inducted in the Central Washington University Athletic Hall of Fame. In a recent article about the Central football program, it stated “Bob Osgood is perhaps the greatest football player in the history of Central and certainly the recipient of more individual awards and honors in a single season than any other Central athlete”. Ozzie enlisted in the Marine Corps during WWII and served from July 1943 to January 1946. In the Marines he made lifelong friends that were the corner stone to his life. He was in combat on the Islands of Peleliu, Pavuvu, Tulagi, and Okinawa and served in occupied China. We all remember him proudly wearing his hats displaying his Marine Corps service. Ozzie was a rifleman sharpshooter and field telephone wireman. He started his coaching career in 1949 as an assistant football coach at Central while he was completing his college degree. In 1950 he became the head football coach and assistant basketball coach at Raymond High School. He was selected as the Bellevue High School assistant football coach in 1956. Then he got his dream job in 1959 when he was hired as the head football coach at the new Sammamish High School. He retired from coaching in 1966 and teaching in 1979. Ozzie lived in Leschi at Lake Washington and after retirement he moved to Greenwater, WA to his cabin along the river. He was always surrounded by friends at this apartment on Lake Washington or his cabin at Greenwater. His life was based on strong and supportive friendships that truly spanned a life time. He was an expert craftsman building cabinets, tables, rocking horses, and anything out of wood that friends or family wanted or needed. He was the happiest when he was installing or presenting his finished product to someone or just lending a hand when needed. He was preceded in death by his parents and brothers Claude and Leo. Uncle Bob is survived by eleven nieces and nephews and hundreds of friends. Memorial contributions may be made in Ozzie’s name to The Men and Women of the Fifties Scholarship Fund at Central Washington University. Memories and condolences may be left for the family by clicking on "View Guestbook" below.