Courtesy Photo
By Brian Gosset
X – @gosset41
X – @gmsportsmedia1
gmsportsmedia2023@gmail.com
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Just two days before his 81st birthday, longtime high school football coach Ken Ozee passed away – leaving behind a legacy that surrounds the DFW metroplex – especially in Tarrant County.
A graduate of Castleberry High School, Ozee was an All-American and two-time All-State player. He would continue his career in college at Arkansas before coming back closer to home at UT-Arlington. Ozee also excelled with the Mavericks – voted Conference Defensive Player Of The Year in 1966 and finished as a two-time All-American.
Ozee took a crack at professional ball with the then Washington Redskins before going into coaching.
Coaching stints included Mansfield, Amarillo Palo Duro, Arlington Sam Houston, Lancaster, Arlington, FW Eastern Hills, FW Country Day, FW Paschal and Granbury. He made his mark with Mansfield and Sam Houston. Ozee became AD and head coach at Mansfield at the age of 27 – becoming one of the youngest head coaches in Texas.
After six years at Palo Duo, Ozee came back to Arlington and led the Texans to the state semifinals in 1990. Over his coaching career, Ozee was District Coach Of The Year five times and was a finalist for NFL Coach Of The Year.
In total, Ozee was on the sideline for nearly 40 years.
In 1997, Ozee was inducted into the UTA Hall of Honor. He was also inducted into the Arlington Athletics Hall of Honor in 2024. During Thursday night’s game between Burleson and Arlington Seguin at Choctaw Stadium, Ozee was honored before the kick off.
Coach Ozee’s celebration of life will take place Sept. 16 at 10 AM from Church at The Crossing in Aledo. He is survived by two siblings, four children, five grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
One of his sons, Kevin (AD for Burleson ISD), posted this message on Facebook, “Our family is saddened by the passing of the original Coach O. Dad passed away peacefully surrounded by family. We are comforted knowing that he has just been appointed as Jesus’ offensive coordinator and is reunited with his beloved family and friends who preceded him. A larger than life persona who lived for family and football, dad was so proud of his kids, grandkids and the hundreds of players that he considered his extended kids.”
During Week 2’s match-up between Sam Houston and Burleson Centennial, Ozee was able to watch his former team (SH) play against one of Kevin’s teams (Kevin is athletic director of BISD which includes Centennial and Burleson High).
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Sam Houston High School Alumni Association, https://shhstexans.org/donate Please type “Ken Ozee” under the Additional Information section when completing the form. Additionally, individuals may also mail a check to SHHS Alumni Association, PO Box 152742, Arlington, TX 76015.
