Billy J. Osborne

Bill was born on October 11, 1924 in Ft. Worth, Texas. He grew up on his family’s farm near Granbury, Texas. Following high school graduation, he joined the Army Air Force. There he spent his career as a gunner on a B-24 and a B-3 on the Pacific front. After the war ended, he returned to Texas and met an adorable young lady he would be smitten with. He married Lela Boone on May 28, 1946, in Olney, Texas.

Bill spent his career in the oil and gas industry. During the late 1950’s, he moved his wife and two young daughters to Farmington, New Mexico where an oil boom was in progress. Through long hours of hard work, he developed his own business in oil and gas production, contracting with independent oil companies. During the early 1970’s he moved his company, Largo Management Corp., to Colorado where another oil boom had begun. He mentored other men in his business, both in Farmington and in Colorado, giving them the skills they needed to succeed in the oil industry.

Bill enjoyed life. In the Air Force, he fell in love with flying and earned his pilot’s license while he was still in Texas. He bought his first airplane in Farmington and enjoyed flying many places with friends and family for much of his adult life. He frequently flew to visit family in Texas, often landing on a rough dirt runway near his family’s farm in Granbury. He took up golf, enjoyed fly fishing and hunting, and was easily drawn into a good gin or poker game with his many friends. In his younger days, he loved to water ski and introduced the sport two his two young daughters for whom he built special skis, small enough for them to use. Later, in Colorado he enjoyed snow skiing with his family.

Preceding him in death are his parents, Lora and Clarence Osborne, and brothers Denzil Eugene, C.G., and Roy Osborne.

He is survived by his wife of 68 years who lives in Longmont, CO; daughters Carolyn (Martin) Reite of Greenwood Village, CO; Leta (Dennis) Kuhn of Longmont and Joanna Tschiffley of Ft. Collins; a sister, Loretta Everette of Granbury, Texas; six grandchildren Roy (Stephanie) Kuhn; Bill (Janelle) Kuhn; Jennifer (Derek) Rinetti; Erik (Andrea) Reite; Aaron (Sarah) Reite, and Eric Bussick and Christina (Craig) Lear; and 14 great grandchildren Nathan, Mason, Lyla and Wyatt Kuhn; Lauren, Garrett, and Ashley Rinetti; Jonathan, Chloe, Lily, Anneli and Clara Reite; and Christian Lear.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, October 29, at the Howe Mortuary Chapel, 439 Coffman St. in Longmont, CO. Interment will follow at Ft. Logan National Cemetery in Denver.

Contributions, instead of flowers, would be appreciated. Contributions may be made in Bill’s name to the Samaritan’s Purse, P.O. Box 3000, Boone, NC 28607.