An Ohio State great died this week after 100 years of life.
Cecil “Cy” Souders, a member of Ohio State's 1942 national championship team who went on to earn team MVP honors in 1946 after serving in World War II, died Monday at his home in Hilliard, Ohio.
A native of Bucyrus, Ohio, Souders started his Ohio State career under head coach Francis Schmidt in 1939, then returned to the team from 1942-44 to play for Paul Brown and Carroll Widdoes. After serving in the Navy, Souders returned to the Buckeyes for one more season in 1946, when he played for his fourth Ohio State head coach (Paul Bixler) and earned first-team All-American honors at end.
Souders went on to play for the Detroit Lions from 1947-49. At 100 years old, Souders was the oldest living former NFL player at the time of his death.
After football, Souders went on to work for Suburban Motor Freight for 38 years, ultimately becoming the company's executive vice president of sales and marketing.
Souders was inducted into the Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2002.
Souders is survived by his wife, Jean, who he was married to for 81 years.
Funeral services for Souders will be held next Tuesday in Bucyrus.
