The late Richard Linsenmayer, a longtime Oak Harbor wrestling coach, and retired Rear Adm. Robert Passmore Jr., a 1967 graduate of Oak Harbor High School, will be inducted in the Washington Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Sept. 26 in Olympia.

Also among the 10 2021 inductees is Mount Vernon’s Randy Audette, whose officiating career in wrestling spans 52 years.

In addition, the honorees will be permanently recognized at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

Linsenmayer, who died Dec. 26, 2015, coached wrestling at Oak Harbor High School for 30 years, retiring in 1998. He compiled a 248-126-5 dual meet record, winning eight league, seven district and two regional titles. Before coaching and teaching biology at OHHS, Linsenmayer coached at Air Force Academy High School in Colorado Springs (1960-65), where he won five league and district crowns, and Snohomish High School (1966-69).

He was named the Washington State 3A high school coach of the year in 1981, received the prestigious Paul Reiman/Bo Campbell/Ken Driscoll Award in 1999 and inducted into the Washington State Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame in 2001.

As well as coaching high school wrestling, Linsenmayer coached the local freestyle wrestling club for many years, organized numerous freestyle tournaments and hosted several Japanese cultural exchange teams.

During his school days, Linsenmayer won two Colorado state high school wrestling championships and wrestled for Oklahoma State University.

He is being recognized by the National Wrestling Hall of Fame for his lifetime of service to the sport.

Passmore will receive the Outstanding American Award from the hall of fame.

He wrestled for Oak Harbor High School, earning league and district championships as a senior in 1967 after finishing second in both tournaments as a junior. He attended the University of Washington on a Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps scholarship and received both his commission and a degree in oceanography in 1972. He earned his Navy wings in 1973.

Passmore held numerous leadership positions and was promoted to rear admiral in 2000. He then served as Deputy Commander of Fleet Air Mediterranean, Vice Commander of U.S. Naval Forces Europe after earning his second star, and Vice Commander of Naval Reserve Forces Command.

After 9/11, Passmore was assigned security of the Mediterranean, coordinating civilian, military and allied shipping and providing the safety of facilities.

In 2005, he was sent to New Orleans to support search and rescue missions after Hurricane Katrina. He then returned to Washington, D.C., to organize and command the Task Force Navy Family.

According to a Hall of Fame press release, “Over 100,000 Navy families were contacted and provided full spectrum services including emergency housing, schooling, relocation, health care, legal assistance, pay and benefits for those families affected by hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma. For all his team’s accomplishments, Rear Adm. Passmore was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal.”

Audette wrestled at Burlington-Edison High School and Skagit Valley College. He began his 52-year officiating career in 1970.

Audette officiated 34 state tournaments, serving as lead official in 20. He has been a member of his association board of directors since 1985, handling several duties, including serving as president for the past 14 years.

Audette received the Joe Babbitt Contributors Award by the Washington State Wrestling Coaches’ Association in 2008, was inducted into the Burlington-Edison High School Hall of Fame in 2010, received the Washington State Official of Year Award in 2015 and the Washington Officials’ Association Meritorious Service Award in 2018.

The Hall of Fame Ceremony is Sunday, Sept. 26, at the Olympia High School Performing Arts Center. The social begins at 1:30 p.m. and the induction ceremony at 3.

• Tickets can be ordered at http://WA-nwhof.ticketleap.com/2021-banquet beginning June 15.

Linsenmayer