Obituary: David R. Osborne
It is with tremendous sadness that we announce the passing of David Roy Osborne of Oxford, Ohio.
He was born in LaCrosse, Wisconsin, on Sept. 5, 1933 to Inez (Kolefsky) and Bernard Osborne.
Raised on the Mississippi, Dave and his identical twin brother, Don, spent their youth fishing, duck hunting and camping at what the locals dubbed “Osborne Point.”
David served in the United States Army stationed in France during the Korean War, then went on to earn his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin at LaCrosse and his Doctorate from Michigan State University.
In 1962, he married his sweetheart, Alice Heintz, and together they raised their family in Oxford, Ohio.
He established his career at Miami University as a Professor of Ornithology and Zoology and was known affectionately as “Doc” to his students. His enthusiastic and interactive teaching style was renowned, and one of his great joys was teaching and mentoring his many graduate students. During his tenure, he carried out work in South America and also served as an advisor for Alpha Phi Omega, the national service fraternity. As an Emeritus Professor, he ran summer birding courses in Belize.
David was an Eagle Scout and lifelong advocate of the Scouting movement, serving as Scout Master of Oxford Troop #930. He was honored with the Silver Beaver Award, Scouting’s top honor, for exceptional, impactful and distinguished service to youth and the community.
In retirement, Dave and Alice reveled in the beauty and wonder of the Colorado Rocky Mountains, where they made their summer home. They loved hiking, birding, fishing, dancing and socializing with their many friends. In Colorado, Dave organized community participation in Bluebird research in coordination with Cornell University. He was a regular contributor of articles and bluebird updates to the Allenspark Wind newsletter. His many handcrafted Bluebird houses can still be seen along the roads surrounding Allenspark.
He was an accomplished artist and artisan who created exceptional woodwork, leatherwork, stained glass, stonework and intricate glass etchings of birds and nature. He shared and taught these skills for many years at local community centers.
David’s family was the center of his world. He was the beloved husband of Alice (Heintz) Osborne, who passed before him and remained ever dear to his heart. He was a devoted father of Christina and Michael (Tanis) and cherished grandfather to Paige and Joshua. David was the loving brother of his twin, Donald, who predeceased him, brother-in-law of Dolly, and uncle of nieces Dawn (Cami), and the late Diane.
He had a warm and friendly spirit, a natural curiosity and was always eager to learn and connect with others. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him.
A celebration of life service for David will be held at Paul Young Funeral Home in Oxford, Saturday, Jan. 3 at 2 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The David R. Osborne Fund at Greater Oxford Community Foundation.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of David Roy Osborne, please visit our floral store.
This obituary was originally published by Paul R. Young Funeral Home and has been edited for length.
