Donald Osborn

Donald G. Osborn, 81, Oklahoma Baptist University Vice President Emeritus for Student Development, died Tuesday, December 18, 2007 at his home in Shawnee, Oklahoma.rnrnHe was born in Cushing, Oklahoma on August 6, 1926, the first of three children to Don C. and Opal M. (Munds) Osborn.rnrnMr. Osborn was a 1944 graduate of Cushing High School. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in history, government and education at Oklahoma Baptist University in 1951 and a Master of Arts in history from the University of Oklahoma in 1960. Further graduate study in the field of the history of philosophy and higher education followed. He married Karleen Helen Moore on January 28, 1951 in Ardmore, Oklahoma, where her father, Dr. Karl Moore, was the minister at the First Baptist Church in Ardmore.rnrnHe served in the United States Marine Corps during the final year of World War II and the first year of the occupation of Japan. He was recalled to the Marines during the Korean Conflict and served as an officer in Korea for several months.rnrnAfter his honorable discharge from the military in December of 1952, he was employed as secretary to O.B.U. Vice President Scales. In 1954, he began a thirty-two year tenure as a student affairs administrator holding consecutively the offices of Brotherhood Dormitory Director and Dean of Men, Dean of Students and Vice President for Student Development. During these years from 1954 to 1986, there were significant changes in the relationship of students and the institution, and O.B.U. was in the vanguard of this movement. His confidence that students would respond constructively to opportunities of self-determination and participation in University governance, he believed, was fully justified.rnrnIn 1986, he became the Special Assistant to the President for Planning and Research. After five years, he was appointed University Historian and Archivist, a part-time position, in which he continued until 1998.rnrnMr. Osborn was also a tenured professor of history and taught five or six courses a year for about 20 years. Additionally, he served as O.B.U. golf supervisor/coach for 17 years. rnrnOsborn became a member of the First Baptist Church in Shawnee, Oklahoma on September 10, 1950. He was also involved in the Shawnee community through his active participation as a board member of the local Camp Fire Association for many years.rnrnHis service to O.B.U. and students was formally acknowledged by three O.B.U. connected awards: Outstanding Alumni Achievement Award in 1974, Alumni Distinguished Service Citation in 1986 and the O.B.U. Meritorious Service Award in 1990.rnrnMr. Osborn participated in sport related activities during much of his life. Softball, baseball, and horseshoes were passions of his early years. He was starting pitcher in 1947 for the first season of O.B.U. baseball after its hiatus for 25 years. He played for the Cushing Merchants in 1947 and 1948 and for the Shawnee ONG Gassers in 1950. He coached and played with a battalion baseball team during his Korean service and declined an opportunity to coach the Marine baseball team in Hawaii for two years.rnrnHe enjoyed golf and bowling for many years. Because of his coaching relationship with O.B.U. golf, he directed some twenty collegiate golf tournaments in some of which NCAA and NAIA team champions played. He was a co-chairman with Bob Bass of two national NAIA golf championships played on the Shawnee Elks golf course. He was all-Events Champion in consecutive years in the Shawnee Bowling Association and his sanctioned series in league play was a Shawnee record for 16 years.rnrnSurvivors include his wife Karleen (Moore) Osborn of the home. Four daughters and sons-in-law: Kay and John Harder of Rochester, New York; Carol and Bill Heitland of Pontotoc, Oklahoma; Kim and Cam Loucks of Lewisville, Texas and Cathy and Hugh Megee of Seminole, Oklahoma. One brother and sister-in-law, Leroy and Deloris Osborn of Huntsville, Alabama. One sister and brother-in-law, Wanda and Ron Haas of Palm City, Florida.rnrnOther survivors include ten grandchildren and their spouses: Jeff and wife Jill Harder of Rochester, New York; Mary and husband Chad Kaufman of Bayside, New York; Nicole and husband Oscar Jordan of Lewisville, Texas; Jared Loucks of Lewisville, Texas; Rachel Loucks of Lewisville, Texas; Callie Loucks of Lewisville, Texas; Zach Megee of Seminole, Oklahoma; Gavin Megee of Seminole, Oklahoma; Charles Heitland of Pontotoc, Oklahoma and Carly Heitland of Pontotoc, Oklahoma.rnrnMr. Osborn was preceded in death by his parents.rnrnFuneral services are scheduled for 2:00 p.m., Saturday, December 22, 2007 at the First Baptist Church located at 227 North Union Street in Shawnee, Oklahoma. Interment will follow at Resthaven Memorial Park in Shawnee with Military Honors. Larry Walker will officiate the service assisted by John W. Parrish, Interim President of Okahoma Baptist University, and Dr. Dan Williams, pastor of the First Baptist Church, Shawnee.rnrnCasket bearers will be Jeff Harder, Jared Loucks, Zach Megee, Charles Heitland, Gavin Megee, and Oscar Jordan.rnrnVisitation will be held Thursday and Friday at the Walker Funeral Home located at the corner of 45th & Union in Shawnee, Oklahoma.rnrnThe family has designated the Donald G. Osborn scholarship fund at Oklahoma Baptist University as appropriate for memorial donations.rnrnServices are under the direction of Swearingen Funeral Home in Seminole, Oklahoma.rn Funeral Information: December 21, 2007, 2:00 AM