Robert Lee 'R.L.' Osborn, Jr.

(July 2, 1915 ~ August 24, 2007)

R.L., son of Robert Lee Osborn, Sr. and Laura Bell Morris, married to Bessie Ruth Schmidtke and buried in Cook Walden Forest Oaks Memorial Park Cemetery, Austin, Travis County, Texas.

R.L. Osborn, 92, of San Antonio, died August 24, 2007 with his loving children by his side. He was born July 2, 1915 at Abilene, TX and graduated from high school at Tuscola, TX. Later, he attended Hardin Simmons University as a member of the famous "Cowboy Band".

Having moved from Abilene to Austin in 1937 he met and married Bessie Ruth Schmidtke in 1940. They raised four children, Captain James Carroll Osborn, Army Air Corps Pilot, killed during the Vietnam War, Robert Charles Osborn of San Antonio, TX, longtime veteran of radio and record entertainment industries, Susan Gayle Osborn Barker (Roger) of Waco, TX, Sales Manager, Wells Fargo Bank, and Gary Keith Osborn (Carla) of Austin, TX, Capital Traffic General Sales Manager and Emmis Austin Radio. Daughters-in-law are Carla Osborn and Diane Moore, both from Austin; sister-in-law, Minnie Huber of San Antonio; and numerous nieces and nephews throughout the United States.

R.L. started working for the Betty Lee Shoe Company in 1936, managing the Austin store and ultimately assuming Vice President responsibilities. After 24 years he left to work for the Vogue Shoe Company. In 1956 R.L. became Sales Executive with KTBC Radio and later as local Sales manager for KLBJ AM/FM Radio retiring in 1993 after 27 years.

R.L. accepted Christ as his savior at the age of 12 when he was a member of the Tuscola First Baptist Church. While a member of the Govalle Avenue Baptist Church (Austin) he was ordained a Deacon. Subsequent memberships in the Windsor Park Baptist and Hyde Park Baptist Churches, where he served as Deacon and sang in the choir, concluded his residency in Austin. His work in Austin included Delwood Optimist Breakfast Club, Sunday School teaching and Campus Crusade for Christ reaching out to high school and college students.

After moving to San Antonio in 1996 he joined Castle Hills Baptist Church and was nominated as a Deacon in 2002. R.L. was a member of the "Glory Road Singers", a group he loved to sing with having been raised by a musically talented family during his boyhood. He also was a member of the Gideon's International North Camps of both Austin and San Antonio having served for more than 25 years.

R.L. served his country during WWII as an Army Medical Technician with the 70th General Hospital in North Africa and Italy and was honorably discharged in December 1945. A viewing will be held Sunday, August 26, 3:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. at Castle Hills Baptist Church, San Antonio.

Funeral services and interment will be held Saturday, September 1, 2:00 p.m. at Cook- Walden/Forest Oaks Funeral Home in Austin with David George, Adult Senior Pastor officiating.

Pallbearers are Bradley Osborn, Trent Osborn, Jon Barker, Eric Osborn, Joe Johnson, Harold Pritchard, and Carl Cavender. Surviving grandchildren are Bradley Osborn, Amber Barker, Tamara Barker, Trent Osborn, Dallas and Taylor Osborn, Jon Barker, Eric Osborn, and Andrew and Avery Osborn. Great-grandchildren are Maci and Mark.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Gideons International Austin and San Antonio North Camps. Arrangements under the direction of Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Funeral Home, 6300 W. William Cannon Drive, Austin, Texas 78749, (512) 892-1172.. http://www.mem.com

Published by Austin American-Statesman on Aug. 26, 2007.