Don D. Osburn
Don D. Osburn
Don D. Osburn
1936-2016
Don D. Osburn, at age 79, passed away Sunday, October 23 surrounded by family and friends. Don was born November 2, 1936 in Fairfax, Missouri to James and Mary Lou Noe. He is preceded in death by his parents, sister Jeanne Osburn and sister Judy Combs. He is survived by his wife Barbara Tally of Columbia, sister Joyce James of Houston, children Lynn (Norm) Kahla of Missouri City, Texas, Lori (Todd) Coulter of Bend, Oregon, Mitchell Osburn of Licking Missouri, and Michael (Allison) Osburn of Southlake, Texas. He has nine grandchildren, Blake (Morgan), Brittany (Matt), Beau Kahla, Jonathan (Rachel), Jess (Natalie) and Ryan Coulter, and Connor, Levi, and Cooper Osburn, as well as four great granddaughters.
Don grew up on a farm in Skidmore, Missouri where he developed his love and respect for farming and agriculture. By the age of 12 he was driving a car and tractor on the country roads to Maitland to get parts or repairs. His dad (and the entire town) enjoyed watching Don play basketball. He had an awesome right hand hook.
Don served a 16-month tour with the United States Army in Seoul, Korea. Upon his return he married his love, Barbara Ann Tally, February 8, 1957. They were married 59 years, loving each other through life’s joys and struggles. He attended Northwest Missouri State College in Maryville, Missouri and University of Missouri in Columbia, and was awarded a National Defense Education Act fellowship from North Carolina State College in Raleigh, receiving his PhD there with emphasis on agriculture adjustment and public policy. He returned to Columbia and had a long career teaching Agriculture Education and Ag Economics at MU. Always the economist, his frugality sometimes baffled his kids when he would drive an extra 10 miles to save a penny a gallon on gasoline or drive to a dentist 90 miles away to get a cheaper crown. But for those in need, his compassion was great and his wallet generous.
Mostly he loved farming, practicing what he taught. He felt great satisfaction when his land yielded a bumper crop. Don enjoyed collecting hats from seed and implement companies, watching college basketball, hunting, attending Saturday morning breakfast with the guys, and serving the Fairview Road church. He loved hosting the church’s yearly Fall Festival, pulling a hay wagon full of laughing kids. When his children and grandchildren came for visits he would have the 4-wheeler running and taught them to fish and hunt, and one snowy Christmas, pulling them on sleds roped behind the pickup. Dad we are forever grateful for your example of a joyful, committed marriage, generosity to others, hard work, unconditional love, and heritage of faith.
Visitation will be 5:00-7:00 pm, Friday, October 28 at Nilson Funeral Home 5611 E. St. Charles Rd. Columbia, MO 65202.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, October 29 at 1:00 at Fairview Road Church of Christ, 201 S. Fairview Rd, Columbia, Missouri. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Haitian Christian Foundation haitianchristianfoundation.org or the local Alzheimer’s Association.
