TRENTON — Jones County Commissioner, business owner, friend and family man are just a few of the titles given to Osborne “Oz” Coward, who passed away Saturday at the age of 74.
Coward served as a county commissioner from 1978-86. During his tenure, he became the first person from Jones County to serve on the state board of directors for the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners from 1985-87.
He also served with the Trenton Fire and Rescue, a tradition continued by his son Timmy, who currently serves as the fire chief for the Trenton Volunteer Fire Department. He also served as a charter member of the Pollocksville Rescue Squad.
Timmy Coward said his father served with the Trenton VFD from 1976 until 2001, when his health caused him to be unable to serve. However, he continued to be involved in the fire department’s auction and other activities.
Timmy Coward said his father was dedicated to helping citizens in his capacity as a fireman.
“He would lay down whatever he was doing to answer a call and help a family,” he said.
Timmy Coward also said his father loved children and will be greatly missed.
“Every Halloween he dressed up as the Wizard of Oz and his store employees dressed up as the other characters. He was a caring man, a great mentor to young firemen and all around good guy,” he said.
Commissioner Sondra Ipock Riggs described Coward as one of Jones County’s “most outstanding citizens.”
She said he served Jones County well when he was a commissioner.
“He took it to heart and always kept everyone’s feet to the fire,” she said.
Riggs said another lasting impact of Coward’s is the Red and White grocery store, which he built in 1991. She said he had previously built smaller stores in a different part of Trenton and one in Pollocksville before building the current location on N.C. 58 outside of Trenton.
“He wanted the citizens to have a decent place to shop for groceries, where they could buy anything they wanted to eat. He ran that store from sun up to sundown,” she said.
County Manager Franky Howard said many people still call the store by its shorthand name, “Oz’s.”
Riggs praised Coward for his character.
“He was a very loyal man, who loved his family. He was also one of the hardest working men I met in my life,” she said.
Jones County Board of Commissioners Chairman Mike Haddock said he doesn’t think anyone can say anything bad about Coward.
“He was always a nice guy and did a good job when he was a commissioner,” he said.
Commissioner Joe Wiggins said Coward was a personal friend and the two attended what was known at the time as Jones Central High School.
“We were good friends and I was sad to hear about his passing,” he said.
Noah Clark can be reached at 252-559-1073 or Noah.Clark@Kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter at @nclark763.
Visitation: 6-8 p.m., Wednesday
Funeral service: 2 p.m. Thursday, at Cotten Funeral Home
Burial with Fireman’s honors will follow at Greenleaf Memorial Park.