John Edward Osborn

Osborn, John Edward September 25, 1943-March 27, 2010. John Osborn was born to Bernetta and Eugene Osborn on September 25, 1943 in Norfolk, Nebraska. He grew up the fourth of eight children in York, Nebraska attending St. Joseph's Catholic High School. He earned a Bachelor degree in Physics from Creighton University and a Bachelor degree in Civil Engineering from Marquette University. While attending Marquette University John met Mary Elizabeth Ross. After graduating from Marquette John and Mary both enlisted in the U.S. Navy; she as a nurse and he as a member of the Seabees. In the midst of their service to their country, they were married in Grosse Pointe, Michigan on May 11, 1968. After service in Vietnam, among other stops, John and Mary settled in Denver, Colorado. After arriving in Denver, John attended the University of Denver and earned a Masters degree in Business Administration. John joined the Writer Corporation, a local home building company, in the early 1970's and was involved in the development of such communities as Willow Creek in Centennial and The Pond in Arvada. He later moved on to become a senior vice president for the Ken-Caryl Ranch Corporation, the master developer of Ken-Caryl Ranch located in Jefferson County. In 1984, John Osborn founded Village Homes. Over the next 25 years, he built the company into one of the nation's premier residential real estate development companies. Builder Magazine named Village Homes America's Best Builder in 2002. John was a well-respected leader in the home building industry, both locally and nationally. He was President of the Home Builders Association of Metropolitan Denver in 1992, was named Builder of the Year in 2003 by the Colorado Association of Home Builders, and was a Life Director of the National Association of Home Builders. John also served as a member of the Board of Trustees for Metropolitan State College in Denver and as a founder and board member of Steele Street Bank & Trust. John is survived by his wife Mary, his sons, Matthew and Mark, his daughter Kate Lively, daughters-in-law, Kelly and Melissa, son-in-law, Ethan, and eight beautiful grandchildren, Caroline, Peter, Flynn, Mary Jane, and Viv Osborn, John Osborn, and Margaux and Nora Lively. His five sisters, Genie Lenihan, Julie Schultz, Janet Caniglia, Joyce Osborn, and Jane Osborn, and his two brothers, James Osborn and Jerome Osborn, also survive him. A Rosary will be held on Tuesday, March 30th at 7:00 pm and a Funeral Mass will be held on Wednesday, March 31, 2010 at 11:00 am both at Good Shepherd Catholic Church (2626 E. 7th Ave., Denver, CO). In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in the name of John E. Osborn to University of Colorado Cancer Center (www.uccc.info), The Children's Hospital Foundation (www.thechildrenshospitalfoundation.org), or Brent's Place (www.brentsplace.org).