According to the King County Medical Examiner hotline’s afternoon update, the man hit by an SUV near Fire Station 37 on Saturday night — closing off two blocks of 35th for several hours — has died. He is identified as 85-year-old Oswald Clement.
What I cannot stand about our local news crews is the careless fact-checking that gets done trying to get a story to air. I heard on one station that the victim was a man, another reported it is a woman. Which one?? That is such a basic detail…are they in such a rush to edge the other channels they just flip a coin and call it good? There’s always basic info missed/messed up.
I’m really sorry to hear this is the outcome.
Sad to hear this. I can’t find any more information on who he was?
A comment has just been added below our original report from Saturday night, with what looks like the information Kayleigh was wondering about. We’ll take the liberty of quoting here:
“Mr. Clement who died Saturday night was an educator who, with Miss Cochran, owned and operated The Little Folk Montesory School in the 1970s.
Mr. Clement was a long time resident and lived on 34th S.W near the accident. The “garbage bags†that he carried was his food and merchandise purchased regularly from the Pike Place Market and other sources downtown. He certainly was NOT homeless as some hinted by mention of “garbage bagsâ€Â. He was a responsible home owner. He frequently rode the #21 bus to downtown. My son, Kennedy J.F. Gazaway attended Little Folk Montesory school on California avenue in the 1970s.”
We will be looking a little later tonight to see if we can find out more.
Also posted on original thread:
My apologies for insinuating Mr. Clement was homeless.
It was a careless and unfortunate assumption on my part from what I picked up from the original news story I saw. I seem to remember the story indicating that he was often seen around the neighborhood, but no one knew exactly where he lived.
I may have also been impaired by a foggy mind from posting after a middle of the night nature call.
My condolences to all that knew and loved him.
Mike
So sad. I’ve used the same bus stop as Mr. Clement countless times, and it can be quite treacherous at rush hour. He walked at an extremely slow and fragile pace. The few times that we crossed at the same time, I always walked a bit slower to make sure he arrived on the other side safely. I’m never quite sure how an elderly person will respond to being helped across the street. Now I realize it’s always worth checking.
This is a good reminder to slow down on 35th. It’s far too easy to break the speed limit on that street and not have time to respond to pedestrians or cyclists.
Hi all-
I am a former student of Mr. Clement and Miss Cochran’s Little Folk Montessori School (1968-70). We kept in touch over the years. I am working with his family to organize a memorial service for him in the weeks to come. I hope to get in touch with, and connect, any of his former Little Folk students, music student he gave lessons to later after the school closed, and others who knew him. If you want to email, I created an acct for this purpose. It would be great to have a reunion at his service, for those of us he taught so much.
Please watch the Seattle Times for further information on the date and time. He was an intelligent man of great dignity, integrity and wisdom, and will be greatly missed.
Mr. Oswald Clement is from Goa, India, and has a large family . Iam his niece. Iwould like to know more details about his accident and about his funeral
Contact me at
josefilipedias@yahoo.co.in
It has taken me this long to write, so I could do it without crying. I was there moments after Mr. Oswald was hit that night. A sight that will burn in my memory for the rest of my life. I am so sorry for his family and friends, and hope strength and self-forgiveness finds the person who hit him. It was a VERY dark night and Mr. O was slowly walking across 35th (I do not know if the driver was cited or arrested). But, regardless, the incident forced me to my knees in prayer for his care and recovery hoping it wouldn’t turn out the way it did… I do have to say that the fire department guys reacted quickly; they were across the street and “right there”. The police; another story altogether and quite frankly their attitude sucked. But, they are immaterial (and that opinion reserved for another blog). Mr. O was treated by the emergency responders and EMTs with respect and care. His neighbors stood watch and also prayed, cried and hoped this tragedy didn’t turn out the way it did. Rest in peace and joy Mr. Oswald. The world is a much less kind place without you.
Sorry, comment time is over.
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