Thomas Joe Osborne, 90, of Lewiston, passed away Wednesday, April 10, 2024, at Cascadia of Lewiston.
Tom was born Sept. 23, 1933, in Coquille, Ore., to Thomas W. and Frieda (Fahl) Osborne. The family made many moves, including to Wyoming and Montana, before finally settling in Idaho in 1937 where the family bought a farm on Crane Creek Road near Potlatch.
Tom went to area schools and graduated in 1952 from Potlatch High School. Tom later served in the U.S. Army from 1955-57 at Fort Benning, Ga.
After his discharge from the Army, Tom returned home and started dating the love of his life, Justine Reisenauer. They were married Nov. 21, 1958, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Moscow and lived for two years on a farm along Palouse Road before moving to Lewiston in 1960.
Tom drove fuel trucks for Cliff Lathen in Moscow before working at the Potlatch Mill in Potlatch. He then was transferred to Potlatch Corp. in Lewiston, where he worked as a machinist. He worked for Potlatch for 34 years, retiring in 1993.
Tom was a convert to the Catholic Church. He loved being a Catholic and would often practice his faith by attending Mass daily and on Sundays at All Saints Catholic Church in Lewiston. He would also pray the rosary, Divine Mercy chaplet and novenas for his family and friends.
Tom was an active member of the Knights of Columbus and the American Legion. He enjoyed fishing, coaching baseball, woodworking, going to yard sales, refurbishing several wooden sleds, making rugs and rosaries, gardening, tinkering on projects in his shop, telling stories and spending time with his family and friends.
Tom is survived by his loving wife of 65 years, Justine Osborne, of Lewiston; his four children, Douglas (Jeanna) Osborne, of Lewiston, Timothy (Janet) Osborne, of Clarkston, Debra (Alan) Krick, of Genesee, and Sandra (William) Bozlee, of Apison, Tenn.; 12 grandchildren, Maria (David) Gourley, Anna (John) Esser, Dusty Osborne, Dylan Osborne, Julia (Joshua) Hanley, Sarah (Tyler) Cundiff, Christopher Osborne, Rachel Bozlee, Lucia (Zackery) Maughan, Claira Osborne, Jacob Krick and Kaylee Krick; eight great-grandchildren, Owen, Myles and Liam Gourley, Aiden, Daniel and Kathryn Esser, Gavin Cundiff, Calvin Hanley and two great-grandchildren on the way. Tom is also survived by his brothers Carl Dean Osborne, of Moscow, and Michael “Mick” (Beth) Osborne, of Potlatch.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his brothers Clifford (Linda) Osborne and Harold (Sandra) Osborne; and sister-in-law Shirley Osborne.
A rosary will be recited at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, May 30, with a Mass celebrated at 11 a.m. at All Saints Catholic Church, 3330 14th St., Lewiston. Inurnment with military honors will take place after the Mass at the church’s columbarium and a dinner will follow in the social hall.
Memorial donations may be made to All Saints Catholic Church or All Saints Catholic School.
Vassar-Rawls Funeral Home of Lewiston is in charge of the arrangements.
The family would like to thank all the caregivers, emergency responders, doctors, nurses, priests, sisters and friends for the care they provided Tom.
