It is with a sad heart but with wonderful memories that I share the news of Oscar’s final journey. Oscar was a longtime owner of Daymont Insurance and later Souders Insurance. Oscar started in the insurance business in 1964 with Nationwide. After seeing the advantages of the independent agency system, he bought into an agency in 1968. In 1973 he brought in his brother-in-law and great friend, Bob Woolf to be his partner. The two ran the agency together for many successful years. In 1990, Oscar’s son-in-law Gary Naylor joined the firm followed by me two years later. Oscar eventually sold his interest to the three of us in 1999 but he was far from retired. He bought Souders Insurance in 2001 (at 70 years old) and ran it while still continuing his administrative duties at Daymont.
Oscar was old school in many ways but also very forward thinking. When I started in 1992, we had a single computer. Shortly thereafter, Oscar knew computers were the future and we bought one for every employee, even though most of us knew nothing about computers and had no idea what we would use them for. Oscar was ahead of the curve in so many ways. We were one of the first agencies around to scan our files instead of storing them in actual files on the wall (at that time, storing something in the cloud meant the top, hard to reach shelf).
In 2004, tragedy struck Daymont when Bob Woolf was killed in an accident. It was a most difficult time. But we continued on with Oscar’s guidance. Eventually Oscar sold the Souders Agency to Daymont in 2008 and retired in 2009, right after his 78th birthday, 41 years after entering the business. He said he wouldn’t have retired had it not been for the difficulty he had walking. He loved the challenge. Oscar was always goal driven and determined to succeed, but he wanted to see everyone succeed. If someone else in the office had a nice sale, I think he was happier for them than he would have been for himself.
A few stories come to mind that describe Oscar in a nutshell. We have a picture of Oscar with a phone to each ear. While the picture may have been staged, it was based on actual events that happened on more than one occasion. Another time, Oscar had blockage in a carotid artery and was rushed to the hospital from the doctor’s office for emergency surgery. Times were different. Oscar had a cell phone before most others (so he could conduct business from his car or wherever else he may be). As he was on the gurney being wheeled into the operating room, he still had that cell phone (probably hid it on his person) and he called us to tell us something that needed done as we could hear the nurses scolding him in the background, saying, “Mr. Page, you cannot have that phone….now hang up”. Of course he kept talking. I also remember the time I was running an appointment with him. Gary and I felt Oscar preferred to do things by the seat of his pants, just because it was more exciting to him and he had to think on his feet. He always said he was prepared and it was all up here as he pointed to his head. I think both things were true. But as I was trying to get things together at the last minute to take with us, Oscar had a call from his sister Georgia. He would talk to her, put her on hold, talk some more to her, back on hold as he would shout instructions to me. Finally we were on our way from the old Main St. location in north Dayton. We are talking strategy for the appointment on way to the destination near the Dayton Mall. As we drove by the Moraine exit, the office calls Oscar on his cell. It seems his dutiful sister was still on hold back on the office phone. Always unflappable, a smile came to his face and he did his common “ha ha” chuckle he did when things surprised him. He told them to tell her to hang up and he would call her.
Everyone has great memories of Oscar. He was a one-of-a-kind who could be tough when he needed to be. Long time office manager of 29 years, Lorna Ball, says Oscar never wanted to let people go home early when there would be a winter storm raging. He said other businesses would be leaving early making travel difficult and leaving at regular time gave snow plows time to clear the roads. Lorna’s mom called her to make sure she was headed home. Lorna told her that wasn’t happening so her mom told her to put Oscar on the phone. Moms can be very protective, especially when it comes to their only child. Her mom proceeded to tell Oscar in no uncertain terms that he needed to let Lorna and the others go home. A smile came to his face, he uttered “ha ha” and told her he would. Oscar knew when to pick his battles and this wasn’t one of those times so everyone got to go home. Although he tried to hide it, he really did have a heart of gold.
God bless, comfort and give strength to his family and friends. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him. Thanks for the memories!
