Palmer 'Ozzie' Osborn

Palmer Osborn died April 15.  He was 90.

Born Feb. 12, 1923 in Hastings, Mich., he attended public schools there, graduating as salutatorian of his 1940 high school class.

At 17, with a national scholarship, he entered Harvard University, graduating magna cum laude with a bachelor's of science degree in engineering sciences in 1943.  He was a member of Phi Beta Kappa.

Osborn did research at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts. He joined the Navy, serving as a countermeasure gear officer from 1944 to 1946.

In 1947 he received a master's of science degree in oceanography from the University of California Scripps Institution of Oceanography.

From 1947 to 1980, he was employed in executive posts at Convair/General Dynamics and McDonnell Douglas, and as a consultant on military affairs to the U.S. State Department, Los Alamos National Laboratory and LLNL, as well as to several nongovernment agencies and companies.

Osborn had a thirst to do adventurous things locally and in many countries of the world including vagabond travel and trekking, snow skiing, waterskiing, parachuting, gliding, rafting and biking.  He enjoyed photography and wrote more than 200 columns and freelance stories published in the Peninsula Daily News.

He enjoyed reading, music, opera, Norwegian folk dancing, puns, Tuesday Breakfast Club, attending First Baptist Church, teaching Elderhostel classes, high-risk stock market trading and his cat, Natasha.

Osborn is survived by his wife of 12½ years, Ruth Osborn; his son William Osborn (Sylvia Watanabe) and daughters Alison Osborn, Katharine (Dwain) Stratton and Tracy; two stepchildren, Douglas (Carlo) Person and Deborah (Craig) Downs; six grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; and seven step-grandchildren.

A celebration of his life will be held Sunday, June 2, at 3 p.m. at First Baptist Church (uptown near library), 1202 Lawrence Street in Port Townsend, Wash.

Memorial contributions may be made to The Learn Group (for Earth Care Education), 2204 Chestnut Street, Port Townsend, Wash. 98368.