Obituary of Thomas Herman Osborne
Thomas Herman Osborne
(September 21, 1936 - July 30, 2020)
On Thursday, July 30, 2020, Thomas Herman Osborne passed peacefully at the Tofield Care Centre in Tofield AB. Tom was 83 years old.
Tom, eldest child of Thomas Stanton Osborne and Elaine Eleanor Kimble, was born on September 21, 1936 in Grande Prairie, Alberta. He had one brother, James Russell (1938 – 2013), and three sisters, Ruth Elaine (1947 - 2010), Carol Ann and Susan Joy.
Tom attended school in Grande Prairie, Alberta. After a year of university in Hamilton, Ontario, Tom returned to Grande Prairie where he worked as a trucker, carpenter, housing
officer, and building contractor. He was an avid curler and was involved in the1977 construction of the Grande Prairie Curling Rink. He owned, with Norm Lake, a ski rental shop at the Grande Prairie Ski Hill.
Tom and his yorkies, Dolly and Katie, spent many hours exploring the acreage on his scooter. He loved Petunia the Skunk and her family, the deer, waterfowl, and songbirds that shared the acreage. He patiently accommodated the many horses, donkeys, llamas, pigs, dogs and cats that Cheryl ‘rescued’ from the auction mart and other ‘sad situations.’
He enjoyed the family gatherings at Ruth Leo’s farm and loved to talk ‘farming’ with Leo, Jason, Sean and his father in law, Tom Walker (or anyone who would listen). Jason recalls seeing Tom and his scooter booting it across the field and stopping in front of the combine so he could not be ignored. Steven will miss the phone calls “ask your phone - what time is the game.” Once the game started, Tom who was a passionate Oilers fan had to put up with a loud Calgary Flames fan (Cheryl). None of us will forget Tom’s favourite graple (grape pop).
In 1964, Tom and Daun Huber were married and they had two sons, Timothy Jay and Gregory Lee. In 1975, Tom and Cheryl Walker married and Tom became a loving dad to her sons, John and Steven. They lived in Grande Prairie and then moved to a farm near Sexsmith, Alberta. In 1989, Tom and Cheryl moved to Edmonton and then to Calgary, Alberta. In 2005, they retired
to Holden AB. Tom continued to do renovations in the area and started his ‘tree plantation.’
Tom was a gentle, kind and loving man. His memory will be forever cherished by his wife, Cheryl; Daun Osborne; sons – Tim and Stefanie Anglin, Greg and Kristina Verruyt, John and his bikes, and Steven and Trish Jones; grandchildren – Jeremy, Sarah and their mom, Lisa Martin; Mara, Mirena, Sebastian, Gabe and their mom, Leanne Grant; Aimee, Nav and their mom, Tracy Hatton; Ashlyn, Kalia and their mom, Trish Jones; Casey Pickering and her son, Kayle; outlaws – Annette Maurice, Rod Archibald, Leo Suchy, Diane Osborne, Sheilah and Mori Stelmaschuk, John and Irina (Zwarich) Walker, Shannon and Allen Graham, Kelly and Allan Johnson, Marty Granger, and many nieces and nephews.
Tom was predeceased by his parents, sister Ruth, brother Jim and brothers-in-law Roger Frigon and Bill Walker.
In lieu of flowers, donations to the Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute (University Hospital Foundation), Edmonton Alberta, would be greatly appreciated.
