Oswald C. Cespedes

Oswald Constantine Cespedes, known to many as "Ozzie," was born to Beatrice Knight and Fitzherbet Cespedes on February 1, 1942 in Spanish Town, Jamaica, West Indies.

Ozzie moved to England at a relatively young age where he eventually met and married his wife of almost thirty years, Lena Stennett. Soon thereafter he relocated to New York.

As a young adult, he was employed in the sheet metal trade, responsible for installing and sometimes fabricating metal in a variety of applications including welding, bolting, or creating supportive frameworks. Later, Ozzie refined those skills and transferred into a career of a motor vehicle auto body technician performing repairs and other alterations to the exteriors of cars. Although he usually worked at car shops and as an independent contractor, his passion for working on cars and with his hands was dear to him, as one his favorite "projects" was restoring a 1972 BMW 2002 ti.

To those who knew him best, Ozzie could be defined by so many words; whether it be funny, opinionated, passionate, headstrong, or audacious, the definitions that matter most were "family" and "friend."

On the afternoon of Friday, August 14th, he passed away peacefully. Ozzie had been suffering from cancer and kidney failure for several years, but at the time of his passing he was in comfort and at peace. Most of all, he loved his family and instilled in his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, strong values that have served them well. He will be missed and forever in our memories.