Obituary for Albert J Ossman
OSSMAN ALBERT JOHN OSSMAN "A.J." A.J. Ossman, American political scientist and retired educator, died peacefully following a brief illness on August 15, 2018 at his residence in Alexandria, VA. Born on May 23, 1927 in Dunkirk, New York, he was the son of Albert J. and Thelma Reynolds Ossman and brother of Norman Ossman (all deceased). Volunteering for service in World War II, A.J. attained the rank of Staff Sergeant, Army of the United States. He then received his AB (1950) and MA (1951) and Ph.D. (1961) from Syracuse University, where he was a University Fellow of the Maxwell School of Government (1955-57). He was a proud member of Scabbard and Blade, Phi Beta Kappa and Pi Gamma Mu. His career as an educator began at Syracuse, where he was Assistant to the Dean of the College Engineering (1956-1957) before joining the faculty of Chatham College in Pittsburgh as Assistant Professor of Political Science and Economics in 1957, rising to full Professor in 1965. In 1968, he joined the inaugural faculty of Eisenhower College in Seneca Falls, New York, as Professor of Political Science and Director of the Division of Social Science, becoming Associate Dean in 1973. Notable among his numerous community service roles, he served as President of the Board of Trustees of Seneca Falls Hospital from 1979 to 1982. In 1982, he was appointed Department Chairman and Professor of Political Science at Bethany (WV) College, from which he retired in 1992. A longtime member of West Virginia Political Science Association, he served as that organization's Program Chairman (1987-88) and President in 1988-89. Highlights of his distinguished career in public service included appointments as Consultant to the Special Assistant to the President for Management, The White House, Washington (1981-1983); Consultant to the Presidential Inaugural Committee (1984-1985) and Co-Director of the management task force "State 2000" at the United States Department of State (1992-1993). In addition, he was a member of the National Historic Publications and Records Commission of the National Archives (1984-1990) and a member of the Commissioner's Advisory Board of the Internal Revenue Service, Washington (1988-1989). An avid gentleman farmer, he enjoyed raising cattle, gardening, radios and naval history. He is predeceased by his wife Mary Christine (Peters) Ossman. He is survived by their daughter, Jennifer Laurie Ossman, of Alexandria, VA and John F.W. Rogers and family, of Washington, DC.
Published in The Washington Post on Aug. 18, 2018