The late Osmond Woods
The death is announced of Mr. Osmund L. Woods, Sr., which sad event occurred in New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America, on May 28, 2016. He was in his 76th year.
Osmund was born September 29, 1940 in the City of Monrovia unto the union of Eshmere Tyson Woods and Viola Elfreda-Scott Woods. Osmond was the second of six boys.
His mother being a housewife and his father a school teacher in the Lutheran School System, Osmund and his brothers began their education at home with their parents up to the 6th grade when their father was assigned to the Zorzor Lutheran School. In 1947, his father obtained a job with the Liberian
Government School System, which provided him the opportunity to establish the Ziggida Public School. This was the first school in all of Western Province, now Lofa County.
Osmund and his elder brother, Dr. Emile T. Woods (deceased), accompanied their father to Ziggida and were enrolled in the school where their father served as principal.
It was in Ziggida that the Woods brothers met and befriended John Togbakollie, who had been recruited by their father, Tyson Woods, to attend the school in Ziggida. Mr. Woods was mandated by the government of President William V.S. Tubman to recruit at least four boys from each District to attend the school. The Woods brothers soon became attracted to John Togbakollie, who was a bright student. Mr. Woods later transferred several of the students, including his sons and John, to Zorzor to continue their elementary education.
At a certain point, Mr. Woods told John that the Woods brothers were being sent to Monrovia to attend the College of West Africa (CWA). Mr. Woods asked John if he wanted to go to Monrovia along with Emile and Osmond, to attend CWA. Said Mr. Woods to John, “If you stay here in Zorzor, you will complete 8th grade, but that is as far as you will be able to go, and you might return to your village, remain a village boy, and you may forget what you have learned so far.
Kenneth Y. Best, in his book on Albert Porte, quoted John as saying, “It was an offer I could not refuse.” John gratefully accepted Mr. Woods’ offer and he and the Woods brothers traveled to Monrovia and enrolled at CWA. Emile, the eldest, graduated from CWA along with a young lady called Ellen Johnson (later Sirleaf) in 1955. John graduated from CWA in 1960, classmate of Thelma Traub Awori, Liberian Consul General in Kampala, Uganda.
Osmond graduated with a high school diploma from CWA in 1962.
The following year Osmund entered the University of Liberia where he studied Business Management. He served as a cadet to the late Associate Justice Ephraim Smallwood. In his senior year he left the university to obtain a full time job with the Department of the Treasury, now Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, in the Electronic Data Processing Department.
In 1966 Osmund married Ms. Anna Swarray, and their union was blessed with several children—Osmund L (Beever) II, Jim, Leana, Eshmere Tyson, Ann-Marie and Vera.
Mr. Osmund Woods is survived by two of his brothers, John Togbakollie Woods and Amahrue N. Woods, Snr. and three sisters- Clarice Karloweah, Lady Van, Evangeline Woods and Ophelia Woods, a host of grandchildren, nieces, nephews and cousins.
A memorial service is scheduled to be held in Monrovia simultaneously with his funeral services in New Haven, Connecticut, USA on June 17, 2016.
A family meeting in Monrovia will be announced later. Friends and sympathizers may contact John T. Woods or Clarice Kaloweah at # 0886564070, or 0770564070, for further information.