Tennis community mourns the loss of tennis professional Osho

Remi Osho with his twin sons Joshua and Jordan at a junior tournament several years ago.
 

The tennis community is mourning the unexpected death of Remi Osho, one of the city's favorite tennis instructors, who passed away Friday, May 29.  He leaves his widow Chanita and twin sons Jordan and Joshua.

Osho, 51, taught tennis at Lee LeClear Tennis Center, where he was assistant manager and tennis professional.  Lee LeClear Tennis Director Don Maxa reported that he had worked on Memorial Day but went to the hospital the next day after feeling poorly.  He died in the hospital.

The affable Nigerian native was hired by the City of Houston Parks & Recreation Dept. as an instructor at Lee LeClear in 1994.  He quickly developed a following as a top-notch tennis and workout instructor.  His popular Wednesday evening and Saturday morning adult clinics were well attended, and in the summer he led mini-camps for juniors.

Maxa said Osho was a forerunner of aerobic drills for conditioning before the technique became fashionable.

"Some of the beginning participants weren't able to finish the hour-and-a-half workouts at first," he observed.

Osho, a USPTA professional, was also head coach for the St. Agnes Academy girls tennis team, which was district runner-up in the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS) state tournament in 2009 and district 3-6A district champ in 2008.

Osho, who played Davis Cup for Nigeria and was a member of the Texas Southern University team while attending the school, competed regularly in local tournaments.

"He always played in the open division, Maxa said.  "I suggested that he enter the age divisions, but he thought age divisions were old men's tennis.  I tried to prod him into playing with me in 45 doubles several years ago to go after a state ranking, but he wouldn't go for it.

"We played doubles together here (at Lee LeClear) in friendly games against some top-notch players in some high-level matches," Maxa recalled.  "The city  hired us about the same time, and we were very close and worked well together," Maxa said sadly.

A wake will be held Friday, June 5, at Mabrie Memorial Mortuary, 5000 Almeda Road, from 1 to 8 p.m., and funeral services Saturday, June 6, at St. Mary's Catholic Church, 3006 Rosedale (at Ennis), at 11 a.m.