Ossie Marrison (30 Mar 1932 - 25 Mar 2016)

In loving memory of Ossie Marrison who sadly passed away on 25th March 2016
On the 30th of March 1932 a true Geordie Legend was born in Gateshead.
Ainley Oswald Marrison (Ossie) got his name when his Mother passed by the shop Ainley and Sons on the High Street in Gateshead.
Ainley Oswald - an unconventional name for a child, would grow up to be unique, full of humour, fun, warm and benevolent, in every way an unforgettable and incorrigible character.
Younger brother to Peter Marrison, growing up the two were an inseparable duo – partners in crime. Often cooking up mischief and playing pranks on each other (one in particular involving a dancing lesson and an axe!!!!) their early years were full of laughter and misbehaviour.
In his teens Ossie undertook many jobs in order to kick-start a career. At the age of 18 whilst on duty at work he lost a digit– the small finger on his right hand during a short lived battle with a circular saw.
Ossie was an avid lover of music and was a self taught musician playing in pubs and clubs as part of a skiffle band with his best friend Alan. He played guitar, the washboard and Jaws Harp like a pro! Always the entertainer, Ossie’s 12-string guitar was never far away and he was the life and soul of every party with his renditions of “The Rock Island Line” and “The Runaway Train.” A huge fan of Country and Western music, he enjoyed listening to Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton et al – recreating their style and often adding his own unique twist.
As a young man at the end of the Second World War Ossie joined the Army Transport Division with highflying aspirations and we have heard many a good story of this time. He travelled mainly to Aden and Egypt and was known as Driver Marrison a title he would always remember with pride and respect. On leaving the Army he had several jobs but finally travelled the country driving heavy earth moving machinery.
On his travels Ossie met a great many people and saw many sights all of which became part of his rich storytelling repertoire. He loved life and took the opportunity to meet as many people and see as many places as possible often meeting other characters along the way. Two people were Ossie’s reason for finally settling down in his beloved Derbyshire and making homes first in Somercotes and later on Wycliffe Road, Alfreton.
At this time he called himself Ossie or Oz so some people know him as Ainley others Ossie or Oz.
In 1967 Ossie met and fell hopelessly in love with Esme and they enjoyed a proper courtship, often chaperoned by Esme’s daughter Lynn. The three of them soon became a close-knit family with Ossie taking the girls to exotic places such as Nottingham by car.
Es and Oz were married in 1969 in Belper , a small ceremony with Lynn as their main witness. They settled down with Esme’s mother Gladys in Somercotes and years later they moved Ossie’s father, another Ossie ,into a house down the road and the family were closer than ever. His stepdaughter Lynn married and soon had two children Kate and Amy whom Ossie adored with all his heart. He spent his days working on the open cast coal site, taking care of his family and making mischief with his granddaughters – teaching them tricks and jokes that would often get them into hot water at school.
Ossie and Esme shared many interests (music being one of them) but they also shared a love of animals, adopting two poodles (Katie 1 and Katie 2) several cats and between them they turned their back garden into a haven for every bird, stray cat, hedgehog and badger.
Ossie went through many trials in his life and in 2003 he faced the largest when he lost his beloved Esme to cancer. Now retired, Ossie bore his grief with dignity and carried on doing what he always did – entertaining people, making them laugh and helping his stepdaughter and grandchildren overcome their own sadness. Ossie lived by himself after Esme’s death but due to his infectious character, he was never alone, often out with friends and family enjoying life to the full. He loved his garden and a main feature of this was him sitting in all weathers on a sun lounger –his very close lovely neighbours Jackie and David knew it was summer when the lounger, the newspaper and a sun downer appeared in his hand. Even though the sun had not gone down in Alfreton Ossie would say it is going down somewhere in the British Empire as the brandy and dry ginger touched his lips.
In March this year his niece Julie from Los Angeles spent a week with him .He loved showing her the best of Derbyshire and reminiscing about the past, the family and his many trips to LA.
He loved to travel and has been several times with the family to drink wine in France and Italy, to his beloved North East loving spending time with his nephew Tim and his family and to Holy Island where he spent his mis spent youth ,to Scotland for the whisky and New York for the fun.
He went to many concerts organised by his dear entertainments manager and good friend Evie that included Dolly Parton and Don Williams, which he loved. He enjoyed films when they had plenty of action and he knew the scripts of Only Fools and Horses by heart. Some of us are not sure which character he identified with but most of us can think of one.
He was a great Husband to Esme, Father to Lynn, Father in Law to John and Keith, Grandpa to Kate and Amy, Grandpa in Law to Simone and Michael, Great Grandpa to Greta, Uncle to Julie and Tim, loyal friend to many, the best company and a local treasure.
Ossie passed away quietly at 7pm Friday 25th March 2016 aged 83 surrounded by his close family. His stories, character and good humour will go on in all our hearts and we will all remember with the greatest of love the wonderful man Ainley Oswald Marrison.