Oswald “Al” Rava, 92, passed away on December 1, 2022, in his Perrysburg home, surrounded by his family. He and his twin sister, Gloria, were born in New York, New York, on September 9, 1930. Al was raised in the Hell’s Kitchen area of Manhattan in an Italian speaking household. He was proud of his heritage and of his ability to communicate fluently with his extended family in Italy.
He graduated from the prestigious Brooklyn Technical High School having earned a reputation as a talented basketball player. He relocated to Ohio, where he attended Bowling Green State University, earning both bachelor and master degrees in education. While at BGSU, he competed on the tennis team and was active in the Neuman Club for Catholic students.
Al accepted a summer job in 1954 as a camp counselor in Eagle River, Wisconsin, where he met his future wife, Carolyn Peterson, who was employed as the camp nurse. They were married on November 24, 1956, in Chicago, Illinois, and settled in Perrysburg, where they raised their six children.
Al’s teaching and coaching career with Perrysburg Schools spanned more than 33 years. Al was inducted into the Perrysburg High School Athletic Hall of Fame for his impressive career as the boys head tennis coach, with a total of 319 wins, 12 Northern Lakes League Team championships, 10 state qualifiers, and one state singles champion. Three of Al’s players also were inducted into the Perrysburg High School Athletic Hall of Fame.
As a certified USTA and USPTA tennis professional, Al taught tennis and platform tennis at many clubs in the Toledo area, including Carranor Hunt and Polo Club, Belmont Country Club, Inverness Club, Toledo Country Club, Shadow Valley and the former Glengarry Country Club. His enthusiasm for racquet sports motivated him to spend many summers coordinating the tennis program for the City of Perrysburg Recreation Division, where he was instrumental in establishing the tennis and basketball courts at Municipal Park.
Al was active in Perrysburg’s St. Rose Parish for many years, serving as an usher and member of the choir. An avid music devotee, he especially appreciated classical music and frequently attended Toledo Symphony Orchestra concerts at the Toledo Museum Peristyle.
Oswald Rava was predeceased by his parents, Mario and Maria (Cavallero) Rava, and his twin sister, Gloria Golero and her husband, Joseph. He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Carolyn; his children, Randy Rava, Alan Rava (Linda), Marc Rava, Lisa Condon (Jeffrey), Andrea Fischer (Brian) and Mary Miller (Jeffrey); 13 grandchildren; eight greatgrandchildren and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
A visitation will be held from 10 to 11 a.m., followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, December 21, at St. Rose Catholic Church in Perrysburg. Interment will be at St. Rose Catholic Cemetery in Perrysburg.
The family would like to thank Dr. Basil Akpunonu, the staff at the University of Toledo Medical Center and the Cleveland Clinic, for the compassionate care they provided.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Al’s memory may be made to Hospice of Northwest Ohio or St. Rose Parish.
Arrangements were entrusted to Witzler-Shank-Walker Funeral Home, Perrysburg.