Michael Dean Ossewaarde

Michael Dean Ossewaarde

Michael Dean Ossewaarde of Bellevue died Wednesday, November 30, 2016, just short of his 91st birthday.

Born in Bellingham, WA in 1925, Dad attended Bellingham High School. Drafted at 18, he did his basic training at Fort Lewis and Camp Roberts and was deployed to South Hampton, UK. Transported quickly to France, he spent most of his two years of service with the Fighting 69th Infantry. The division spent time in Belgium and the Ardennes Forest, and liberated a concentration camp. His division sped across central Germany, eventually meeting up with Russian troops on the Elbe River. He earned the Bronze Star, which he received in 2007.

With the help of the GI Bill, Dad pursued his lifelong passion of architecture, graduating with honors from the University of Washington in 1952. A member of Sigma Phi Epsilon and a loyal Husky, he fondly enjoyed watching his beloved Husky football and most especially beating his son Kirk's Cougars in the yearly Apple Cup.

Shortly after graduating, Dad joined the Architecture firm of NBBJ, where he spent a distinguished career designing many schools and laboratories in Washington, California and New York.

Dad enjoyed playing tennis at the Bellevue Club will all his pals, his ROMEO breakfasts and volunteering his time for the Boy Scouts, including designing several buildings for Camp Parsons on Hood Canal.

In 2003, mutual friends introduced him to new love, Beverly, and together they shared many great adventures. Preceded in death by his daughter Kathy, Dad is survived by his loving wife Beverly and his sons, Mark Ossewaarde and his wife, Debbie, of Kenmore, Kirk Ossewaarde and wife, Anne, of Atlanta, GA, grandson Christopher and his wife Cheryl and great grandson Blake of Maple Valley.

The family asks that remembrances be sent to the Overlake Hospital Foundation, 1035 116th Avenue, Bellevue, WA 98004. Please make a note to direct your donation to the Cancer Center, and include Dad's name.