Oswald Tower, 90
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. â€' Oswald "Ozzie" Tower, 90, of Sand Springs Road died peacefully Tuesday, March 24, 2009, peacefully at home.
Born in Andover on Jan. 3, 1919, son of Oswald and Helen Boyle Tower, he graduated from Phillips Academy and, in 1941, from Williams College, where he was a star athlete, playing on the lacrosse, football and on the wrestling teams. He returned to Williamstown in 1974.
An Army veteran of World War II, he served as a captain with the 10th Army in the Pacific.
Mr. Tower was the owner of Connors Brothers Moving and Storage Co., which he purchased after moving to Williamstown. He was previously employed for seven years at Chase Brass & Copper Co. in Waterbury, Conn., for two years at Bridgeport (Conn.) Brass as plant supervisor and then 19 years at Michigan Seamless Tube as vice president and sales manger.
Active in civic and community affairs, he was a member of the Lions Club, Williamstown Board of Trade, Special Olympics and Williams College Quarterback Sideline Club, and was past president of the Williamstown Youth Center. He will be remembered, said family, for his zest of life, his passion and determination and for his abundance of energy. Mr. Tower could always be counted on to lend a helping hand and his enthusiastic and optimistic attitude was always prevalent. His fun-loving spirit made him a natural around children and he devoted himself to those less fortunate especially the children of the Fresh Air and Big Brothers programs and the Youth Center. He enjoyed skiing, ice hockey, rollerblading into his 70s.
His marriage in 1942 to the former Eleanor Daniels of Andover ended in divorce.
Besides his former wife, of Aspen, Color., he leaves a son, Charles "Chuck" Tower of Aspen; two daughters, Judy Kajander and her husband, Tom, of Houston and Ellen Bayliss of Williamstown, with whom he made his home, seven grandchildren who adored their Pop for his fun-loving spirit, Trevor, Jarrett, Jonah Bayliss, Evan, Chris and Jackson Kajander and Susan Tower, and two great-grandsons.
He was predeceased by another son, Jack Tower in 1977, two sisters, Helen Strittmater and Mary Atta Arnold, and a brother, Charles Tower.
FUNERAL NOTICE â€' In honor of Mr. Tower's memory, and in lieu of flowers, memorial donations are suggested to the Williamstown Youth Center Scholarship Fund through the Flynn & Dagnoli-Montagna Home for Funerals, West Chapels, 521 West Main St., North Adams, MA 01247.