Whitemarsh restaurant owner killed in motorcycle crash
WHITEMARSH ISLAND, Ga. (WTOC) - A community is grieving a well-known restaurant owner on Whitemarsh Island.
Frank Ouzts died Saturday after losing control of his motorcycle, crashing into a road sign on Highway 80 near Islands Expressway.
Ouzts owned Papa’s Bar-B-Que and Seafood. Memories and stories of Ouzts have been all over social media and you can see right outside of his restaurant, people have been dropping off flowers.
Papa’s BBQ was not open Monday because of his passing, but his customers and restaurant family are making sure they honor his life.
Minutes away is Wiley’s Championship BBQ. Years ago, that location was home to Papa’s Bar-B-Que and Seafood.
“When I bought this restaurant two-and-a-half years ago, he came over, introduced himself and said ‘Don’t forget this was the original Papa’s location that you’re standing in right now,’” Wiley’s owner Nate Shaffer said.
Shaffer is a friend of Ouzts and drove past the accident after it happened.
“I didn’t realize it was Frank Outzs,” he said.
Shaffer said it was a scene no one would want to see.
“I was devastated. This could’ve been anyone, but it happened to a gentleman who gave back to the community quite a bit,” he said.
Shaffer’s pitmaster Marion Woodberry also drove by the accident and said he saw someone’s body lying on the ground.
“I thought, I said, poor fella’...that’s sad somebody lost their life this afternoon. Unbeknown that the call I got later on was about Mr. Ouzts,” Woodberry said.
Woodberry met Frank just by being in the restaurant business for years.
“It was kind of a personal thing. It really hurt me. Really actually did. I never thought it would touch me like that, but he was a really good guy,” Woodberry said.
Woodberry and Shaffer said it was never a competition between them, they were always family.
“As long as he’s been out here. It’s a lot to know about the guy. As I say, he’ll truly be missed.”
The restaurant posted on their Facebook page yesterday they are closed because of Frank’s passing and they don’t have information yet on funeral arrangements or when they’ll reopen.
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