Larry W. Osborne

GILMER – Funeral services for Larry W. Osborne, 72, of Gilmer will be held on Monday, October 30, 2017, at 2:00 p.m., at First Baptist Church in Gilmer with Rev. Todd Kaunitz and Rev. Marion Palmer officiating. Interment will follow in Sunset Memorial Park under the direction of Croley Funeral Home in Gilmer.

Born on February 26, 1945, in Gilmer, Texas to the late Loye and Lorene Osborne, he entered into eternal rest on Friday, October 27, 2017. He was a 1963 graduate of Gilmer High School; a 1965 graduate of Kilgore College, having received his Associate of Arts degree; a 1967 graduate of East Texas Baptist University, having received his Bachelor of Arts degree; and a 1972 graduate of East Texas State University, now Texas A&M at Commerce having received his Master of Arts degree.

In 1967 he began his teaching career at Gladewater High School as a teacher of English and speech. In 1969 he became the Chairman of the English Department. His tenure with the Gladewater ISD in 1985 when he accepted a similar teaching assignment with Longview High School. His educational pilgrimage continued at Mt. Pleasant High School, and he ended his successful career at New Diana High School in 1998. For a number of years, in addition to his public school experience, he taught English and speech at Northeast Texas Community College and Kilgore College.

Upon his retirement from teaching, he was employed as Office Manager at Croley Funeral Home since 1995.

An active member of the Gilmer First Baptist Church, he taught the Fellowship Bible Class for some twenty-five years, and he served area churches as a Baptist layman.

He is survived by one sister, Virginia Osborne Strawn of Gilmer; one niece, Melinda Ann Strawn Benson and her husband, Matt of Gilmer; two great-nephews, Jacob Dylan Benson and Samuel Dayton Benson, both of Gilmer. He in addition, is survived by his half-brother, Bobby Osborne of Gilmer, and his two children, Jill McCauley and Mike Osborne and their families.

No formal visitation is scheduled. His body will lie in state at Croley Funeral Home in Gilmer until noon on the day of the service.

Family request memorials be made to the First Baptist Church Gilmer, 304 Buffalo Street, Gilmer, Texas 75644; phone 903.843.2572.