Stonewall:

Willie D. Osborne, an Owl Creek, Oklahoma resident, was born April 26, 1921, in Amity, Arkansas, to Oder Ezekiel and Mattie Gay (Henderson) Osborne.    He passed away January 14, 2024, in Ada, at the age of 102 years, 8 months, and 19 days.    His parents divorced when he was only two years old, and both parents remarried.   Willie grew up in Coalgate with his mother and step-father, Arthur Young, and went by the name of Young until he registered for the draft.  At that time he began using his legal name of Osborne.

Like many from his generation, Willie lied about his age and signed up for the Civilian Conservation Corp where he served three terms.  Willie was a decorated WWII Veteran, serving in the U.S. Army as a Surgical Technician.   He married Dixie Marie Rowe on January 27, 1943, in Coalgate, Oklahoma.   They enjoyed 45 years together before her death in September, 1988.   Willie was a Master Plumber, living and working in Pasedena, CA, and Oklahoma City before moving to Lehigh, OK in 1963 to work for himself.  He plumbed many houses in and around Coalgate.   Willie lived in his home in Lehigh 49 years before moving to Coalgate for a short time, then to the Baptist Village for 9 years.   Because of his failing eyesight, he decided it would be safer for him to no longer live alone, so he moved in with his daughter and her husband in Owl Creek, north of Stonewall.   Within a month of moving out to the country, he bought himself a riding lawnmower so he could help mow the yard.  Though he was almost blind, he could still see enough to mow and help with the work.   He always wanted to be useful and help out.

Willie was a devoted follower of Christ who loved and served the Lord and shared his faith anytime the opportunity was available.   He was a member of the Lehigh Baptist Church, where he served as a deacon.   He was also a member of the Coalgate VFW and American Legion.  Willie enjoyed fishing and hunting, and later enjoyed traveling.   He had a thirst for knowledge that never left him.   He loved to read, and after his eyesight failed, he daily listened to his Bible on the app on his iPad.  He could see just enough to find the library apps so he could listen to the audio books that he checked out from the online library.

Willie is survived by his children:  Al Osborne, Amber, OK; Wathina & Terry Winters, Owl Creek; Dr. Bill & Christy Osborne, Noble, OK; Susan & Mark Lackey, Somerset, KY; grandchildren: Chris Osborne, Craig Osborne, Karri Hamlin, Tami Williams, Tim Winters, Tom Winters, Kenda Potts, Chris Lackey, and Cam Lackey; 19 great grandchildren; 14 great-great grandchildren; his siblings:  Bob Osborne, Flower Mound, TX; Juanita Solley, Flower Mound, TX; Almeta Harness, Altus, OK; Dorothy Boynton, McKinney, TX; Noreen Vickery & Dave, Rio Rancho, NM.  He is also survived by nieces and nephews too numerous to count, in addition to many friends.

Willie is preceded in death by his wife & mother of his children, Dixie Osborne; his parents, Oder Osborne, Gay & Arthur Young; a daughter-in-law, Dixie Belle Osborne; wives, Wanda (Phillips) Osborne; Phyllis (Tinkle) Osborne; and his special friend, Joy Wellington.   Siblings:  Mary Ellen Podbreger, Arthur Young, Jr., Helen Winlock, Hazel Foreman, Emma Martin, Claudette Holloway, Charlene Isom, Jenny Laster, Lois Paxton, James Osborne; and their spouses.

Funeral Service will be held 2:00 PM, Saturday, January 20, 2024, at Brown's Funeral Chapel, Coalgate, OK, with Minister Bob Feighner officiating.  Interment will follow at Lehigh Cemetery.    Family visitation will be held Friday, January 19, 2024 from 6-8 PM at the Funeral Chapel.

Online guestbook and condolences are available at BROWNSFSCOALGATE@SBCGLOBAL.NET.