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Fred John Kobuszewski, a long-time Oneonta teacher and coach who was loved by many, died on October 16, at 6:61 pm in Charlotte NC. He was born in Syracuse July 29, 1942, the son of John and Katherine Ko-buszewski and grew up in Solvey. Fred graduated from West Genesee High School in 1959 where he played football and basketball. He attended South Dakota State, extending his football career, before graduating with a bachelor's and master's degree in education from Cortland State. Fred found his teaching home at Oneonta High School, where he also coached most every sport from the 9th grade level through JV and Varsity levels. He didn't care what age the boys were, or what the sport was, he enjoyed and excelled at developing a group into a team. Inherent in this team building was his desire to inspire his players to be leaders while never settling to be average. "Coach Koby" took an Oneonta Yellowjackets football team that, didn't win a game in 1980, to finish 7-2 his first year with a share of the Conference Title. The follow-ing year (1982) led by Tim Pidgeon, Steve Escher, and many other Oneonta Legends fin-ished undefeated, were outright champions in the Section 4 Division III Conference and won Oneonta's first postseason Bowl game against Powerhouse Windsor. Players re-member "Coach Koby" directing the bus driver to take the team down Main Street where the Yellowjackets rocked the bus for the excited town. Other teams did not have the record of that stalwart '82 team, but they still got the "Coach Koby" experience. Tough love, a giant hug, running hills, up-downs and sprints but also a feeling that this coach would run through a wall for you. Alongside his friend Fred Kurkowski, he helped start Oneonta's Pee-Wee football program. This is an enduring example of his contributions to the greater Oneonta com-munity. On many winter Saturday mornings Fred volunteered to open the Greater Plains gym for boys and girls to play dodgeball, broom ball, or anything "sport" related the kids could grab out of the storage room. Fred's efforts often served as the gateway to orga-nized activities for many underprivileged young kids. While it went unnoticed, Fred was always an advocate for the kids who didn't have much. His concern went beyond athlet-ics and included dipping into the lost and found to give kids another set of clothes to wear. Fred was a great father to his sons, whom he loved very much. His boys could count on Dad to lend a helping hand in any circumstance. Throughout his life, Fred also gave a lending hand to others in Oneonta who fell on hard times. For these people he was very generous with his treasures. He met his wife Marie on a ski club trip and they were married soon after in 1965. Both were active members in the Saint Mary's Church, the Elks Club, Jaycees and Special Olympics and had many friends in Oneonta. After Marie passed in 2002, Fred spent 10 loving years with Sandy Lawton and her extended family who welcomed him warmly. He was predeceased by his parents, his saintly wife Marie Ross Kobuszewski (2002) and his two older sisters, Lillian Sadlocha (2020) and Barbara Kobuszewski (Jachim) (2016) of Syracuse. He is survived by his two sons: Michael and Laura (Sykora) Kobuszewski of Chardon, Ohio and David Kobuszewski of Charlotte, North Carolina. He also leaves four grandchildren: Kaitlin and Andrew Kobuszewski of Chardon, Ohio and Will and Jack Kobuszewski of Charlotte, North Carolina; three nieces from Marie's side: Kathy Fellion, whom he was like a father figure to, and her sisters Laurie (Greg) Grinnell and Christine Salanger: And nieces and nephews from his sister's: Christopher (Sallye) Sad-locha, Catherine (Richard) Whitford, Cynthia (Clif) Richmond, Stephen (Cynthia) Sad-locha, Theresa Ripley, Lorraine (Mark) Perry and Jeanette (Bill) Emanuelli. A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, Nov. 5 in Oneonta.

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Fred John Kobuszewski

July 29, 1942 - October 16, 2022