Mr. Osmond, 78, a former mayor of the Town of Woody Point and MHA for St. Barbe, died Friday.
“He quietly wanted to do good things,” said his son Greg Osmond from his home in Woody Point on Tuesday. “He didn’t need or want the recognition.”
Mr. Osmond served the district of St. Barbe from 1982-85 as part of Brian Peckford’s Conservative government. After that he turned his attention to municipal politics and served at least four terms as the mayor of Woody Point.
Greg Osmond described his father as a good listener and said that was something everybody always remarked upon.
Osmond is currently in his first term as a councillor with the town and said his interest in politics “most definitely” comes from his father.
The things he’ll remember him for are his hard work, honesty and integrity.
“He was as honest as the day was long,” he said.
Outside of politics, Mr. Osmond was also involved with the community. He was a member of the local Lions Club and served on many a recreation committee.
The town is not just mourning the loss of one prominent citizen. George Anderson, 72, a business partner of Mr. Osmond’s for 40 years, died Monday. The two started the Lighthouse Restaurant and the Sea Breeze Lounge in 1973, enterprises they later sold to Ken Thomas, the town’s current mayor.
Thomas said Mr. Osmond was very fair to him and his wife when they bought the Lighthouse and helped them out as they got started in the business.
Besides business Thomas said Mr. Osmond had a passion for the heritage and history of the community.
Mr. Anderson was a former teacher in the town, served on the town’s council and was a former chair of the Bonne Bay Development Association.
Thomas described Mr. Anderson as an iconic individual. He always wore a signature black hat and the man and the hat were immortalized in Al Pittman’s poem The Sea Breeze Lounge.
“He was extremely colourful,” said Thomas of the man who was also his uncle by marriage.
He said Mr. Anderson liked to champion his ideas and enjoyed lighthearted debates.
And Thomas said he’ll be missed by the arts community. Mr. Anderson was there when Writers at Woody Point started up, offering his facility for events.
Besides his hat, Thomas said Mr. Anderson will be remembered for his boat.
“You could see him in his little cabin cruiser floating around the bay for hours in the summer.”
The Sarah Elizabeth was his refuge up to the past couple of years when he couldn’t get out much due to illness.
“At one point he thought that if he could have sailed out into the sunset in that boat he would have been quite happy to go.”
The loss of Mr. Osmond and Mr. Anderson is a time for reflection, said Thomas.
“It’s a changing of the guard, really.”
Like other prominent families in the community, he said they were there for Woody Point in the ’70s and ’80s, starting restaurants and lounges that they kept open year-round for the community.
“To pass so closely together is just a cruel irony.”
Mr. Osmond’s funeral was held on Monday, while Mr. Anderson will be buried on Thursday.
Twitter:@WS_DianeCrocker
Mr. Osmond, 78, a former mayor of the Town of Woody Point and MHA for St. Barbe, died Friday.
“He quietly wanted to do good things,” said his son Greg Osmond from his home in Woody Point on Tuesday. “He didn’t need or want the recognition.”
Mr. Osmond served the district of St. Barbe from 1982-85 as part of Brian Peckford’s Conservative government. After that he turned his attention to municipal politics and served at least four terms as the mayor of Woody Point.
Greg Osmond described his father as a good listener and said that was something everybody always remarked upon.
Osmond is currently in his first term as a councillor with the town and said his interest in politics “most definitely” comes from his father.
The things he’ll remember him for are his hard work, honesty and integrity.
“He was as honest as the day was long,” he said.
Outside of politics, Mr. Osmond was also involved with the community. He was a member of the local Lions Club and served on many a recreation committee.
The town is not just mourning the loss of one prominent citizen. George Anderson, 72, a business partner of Mr. Osmond’s for 40 years, died Monday. The two started the Lighthouse Restaurant and the Sea Breeze Lounge in 1973, enterprises they later sold to Ken Thomas, the town’s current mayor.
Thomas said Mr. Osmond was very fair to him and his wife when they bought the Lighthouse and helped them out as they got started in the business.
Besides business Thomas said Mr. Osmond had a passion for the heritage and history of the community.
Mr. Anderson was a former teacher in the town, served on the town’s council and was a former chair of the Bonne Bay Development Association.
Thomas described Mr. Anderson as an iconic individual. He always wore a signature black hat and the man and the hat were immortalized in Al Pittman’s poem The Sea Breeze Lounge.
“He was extremely colourful,” said Thomas of the man who was also his uncle by marriage.
He said Mr. Anderson liked to champion his ideas and enjoyed lighthearted debates.
And Thomas said he’ll be missed by the arts community. Mr. Anderson was there when Writers at Woody Point started up, offering his facility for events.
Besides his hat, Thomas said Mr. Anderson will be remembered for his boat.
“You could see him in his little cabin cruiser floating around the bay for hours in the summer.”
The Sarah Elizabeth was his refuge up to the past couple of years when he couldn’t get out much due to illness.
“At one point he thought that if he could have sailed out into the sunset in that boat he would have been quite happy to go.”
The loss of Mr. Osmond and Mr. Anderson is a time for reflection, said Thomas.
“It’s a changing of the guard, really.”
Like other prominent families in the community, he said they were there for Woody Point in the ’70s and ’80s, starting restaurants and lounges that they kept open year-round for the community.
“To pass so closely together is just a cruel irony.”
Mr. Osmond’s funeral was held on Monday, while Mr. Anderson will be buried on Thursday.
Twitter:@WS_DianeCrocker
