Gerald (Gerry) W. Osborn, 94

Gerald (Gerry) W. Osborn passed peacefully from this life on June 20, 2023, at the Edgewood care facility in Elkhorn, NE. Gerry was born on April 12, 1929, in Ainsworth, NE as the oldest son of Gerald E. Osborn and Wilda J. Osborn (Clopton). He was later joined by younger brothers: Kenneth (Goose) and Dale (Es).

As a young man one of Gerry’s first jobs was making and selling popcorn at the Ainsworth Theater for 5 cents a sack. He said that he did well as the movies were being attended by the military stationed at the Ainsworth Army Airfield (Ainsworth Airport). He graduated from Ainsworth High School in 1946 and attended his 75-year anniversary at the alumni banquet in 2021. After high school he traveled by train to attend Doane College in Crete. Over a Labor Day weekend he met Beverly J. Grazier at the Brown County Fair dance. They began dating and were married at the Johnstown Methodist Church in 1950. They were married for 73 years. Gerry and Bev had three children, Craig, Kathy (English) and Kent.

In 1951 he reported to the Marine Corp in California for military duty. Following his return to Ainsworth he began working at the Gambles (hardware) Store. In 1956 he took a job as clerk at the Ainsworth Post Office and later took a job as Postmaster at the Bassett Post Office. In 1974 he took the job as Postmaster at Ainsworth where he worked until his retirement in 1990.

Gerry was a life-long resident of Ainsworth. He was always up for a game of catch with the kids or basketball with him assisting the girls in the girls’ verses guys games. He would go trout fishing on Plum and Fairfield Creeks and liked pheasant hunting. He had a green thumb nurturing a variety of flowers and trees at his home and often raised 15 to 20 tomato plants in the summer garden. His tomatoes set the bar high earning the esteemed family label “Grandpa Gerry Tomatoes”.

Gerry enjoyed numerous activities. As a teenager he began helping his father record daily weather observations, temperatures, and precipitation for the National Weather Service and later took over the duty on a permanent basis at a young age. In 2022, he and Bev received an award for 75 years of service from the NWS. He became a member of the Ainsworth Elks Lodge and American Legion Post 79 in 1953. He coordinated the Elks Little League baseball program when it was starting out and coached one of the teams. One of his more famous players was NE Senator Chuck Hagel to whom he presented a framed score sheet from one of his childhood games. He served as president of the Ainsworth School Board and was Mayor from 1994 to 2002. He was a long-time member, deacon and trustee of the Congregational Church. Other than travel, his favorite activity was helping host the Sandhills Discovery Conference on the natural resources, geologic, fossil and human history of North Central Nebraska. During his many travel adventures, he visited the state capital building of every state in the United States.

Gerry was preceded in death by his wife, Beverly, his parents, his two brothers, stepmother Elizabeth (Betty) Lucas Overturf and his step sister Patricia Williams.

Surviving members of his family include stepsister, Joan Wills; children, Craig (Rita) Osborn, Kathy (Dana) English, Kent Osborn; grandchildren, Nathan (Cindy) Osborn, Shannon (Jon) Barr, Steve (Dana) Osborn, Ashley (Stephen) Bennett, Lindsay (Preston) Meier, Lance (Brielle) English, Ryan Osborn, Marcus Osborn, Georgia (Jeremy) Eatherton and Ashley Blausey; sisters-in-law, Anne Osborn, Elaine Osborn, Susan Osborn; 16 great-grandchildren and eight nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held on July 8, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. at the Congregational Church in Ainsworth, NE. A short Inurnment Service honoring both Gerry and his wife Beverly will be held at the Ainsworth Cemetery following the church service.

In Lieu of flowers please make donations to the Brown County Community Foundation Fund at https://www.nebcommfound.org/give/ brown-county-community-foundation-fund/.