Father John O. Oswald

The Rev. JOHN OSCAR OSWALD, age 90, died peacefully on June 10, 2026, at Parkway Village Nursing Care. He was born on October 21, 1935, in Little Rock to Oscar J. and Hilda M. Oswald. He is survived by his sister Johanna C. Oswald, his brother Fred M. Oswald and wife Sarah Spencer of Little Rock; and his brother Mark A. Oswald and wife Ruth Williams of Santa Fe, New Mexico; sisters-in-law Judy Langham Oswald of Little Rock and Kim Johnson Oswald of Austin, Texas; nine nieces and nephews; and four great nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and brothers Kenneth J. Oswald, Msgr. Richard S. Oswald, and George E. Oswald.

Fr. John was the oldest of seven siblings who grew up on Summit Street and in the Oak Forest neighborhood, attending the Our Lady of Good Counsel parish school. He graduated from Catholic High School in 1953 and began his formation for the priesthood at Saint John’s Home Mission Seminary in Little Rock. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1961. His ministry in the diocese included being on the faculty of Catholic High School, where he taught math for 20 years. During that time, he lived in residence and served at various parishes, including Immaculate Conception and St. Mary’s in North Little Rock and the Cathedral of St. Andrew and Christ the King in Little Rock. He earned a post-graduate degree in teaching from Purdue University. He took a leave of absence in August, 1981, and went overseas to teach math and computer science in the U. S. Department of Defense School System in Turkey, Italy, Bermuda, and South Korea.

Fr. John was known for his broad interests and active lifestyle. As a young man, he played point guard for a semi-pro basketball team in Little Rock. He took up jogging long before that form of exercise was common and stuck with it as long as he was able. Along with his brother, Msgr. Richard, he was part of a group of family and friends, known as the Acme Hike Club, that took annual backpacking trips to some of North America’s most beautiful spots. He also enjoyed captaining a sailboat on Lake Maumelle, and with the family’s Blue Velvet Sail Club, went with two of his brothers on sailing trips to the Caribbean. Fr. John’s sense of adventure also included earning a pilot’s license for small planes and participating in the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain.

In 1996, he suffered a life-changing, debilitating stroke, but never gave up on physical fitness and exercise. While living in retirement at St. John’s Manor, he continued his walks around the Heights, and even with an impaired gait, he became an oft-seen neighborhood fixture. Though he had physical and communication challenges, he still voraciously listened to audiobooks and participated regularly in family gatherings.

Many of Fr. John’s students from Catholic High remember him as a remarkable math teacher who made a difference in their lives. He was legendary for maintaining discipline, including by pulling the sideburn hairs of bad actors in the classroom (which could include his younger brothers).

Fr. John’s generosity supported his nieces and nephews to help them get started in life. He had a distinctive personal style that included owning a series of Porsche cars, as well as the love of ice cream, particularly Italian gelato, and good coffee.

Fr. John took on his stroke-caused problems over the past three decades with dignity and without complaint. He will be missed by his extended family and all those who knew him as a priest, teacher, and friend.

Memorials may be made to the Diocese of Little Rock Clergy Welfare Fund, 2500 N. Tyler St., Little Rock, AR 72207 (www.dolr.org); the Catholic High School Foundation, 6300 Father Tribou St., Little Rock, AR 72205 (www.lrchs.org); or a charity of one’s choice.

Funeral services are planned for Monday, July 6, 2026, at the Cathedral of St. Andrew. There will be a Rosary at 9:30 am, followed by a Funeral Mass at 10 am. Burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery in Little Rock. 

Smith North Little Rock Funeral Home, 1921 Main St., North Little Rock, AR 72114. 501-758-1170.