Wendell J. Osborn passed away peacefully on Sept. 5, 2024 at the age of 83 years old, in Mesa, Arizona. He was surrounded in love both near and far by family and friends.
Wendell was born on Jan. 9, 1941, in Bluffton.
Wendell was proceeded in death by his parents, Herman and Golda Osborn, and sister, Sharon (Stan) Merrill.
Wendell is survived by his wife, Sandra Osborn, his daughter, Babette (Glenn) Whorley, and son, Jeffrey (Tami) Osborn, sister, Marilyn Barnett, and brother, Bruce (Gloria) Osborn. His family legacy grew to seven grandchildren, Jessica (Nick) Johnson, Nicholas Whorley, Andrew (Nicole) Whorley, Brittany (Cody) Harman, Courtney (Kory) Barnes, Logan Osborn and Luke Osborn. Wendell also is survived by eight great-grandchildren, Kamryn, Carly and Ivy Johnson, Knox, Cruz and Rowe Harman, and Ensley and Ada Barnes. Wendell also had eight nephews and two nieces.
Wendell graduated from Chester Center High School in Poneto in 1959. He married his high school sweetheart Sandra, who he met in the first grade. Wendell and Sandra (daughter of Samuel and Waneta Cooper) were married at the Friends Church in Keystone on Aug. 5, 1961. Wendell and Sandra just celebrated 63 years of marriage.
Wendell graduated from Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana in January 1963, receiving a bachelor of science degree in agronomy. Wendell had a career in the agriculture field as a sales representative for agriculture chemicals as well as running the family business, Osborn Certified Seed and Osborn Ag Products, and was a farmer in Wells County for many years. His love of agriculture transpired into landscaping his home in Mesa, which he maintained until he passed away.
Wendell was a sports fan and loved watching basketball, with an avid interest in Purdue and the Phoenix Suns. He enjoyed sports and played basketball, volleyball, pickleball and golf, and enjoyed water skiing, boating, hiking and hunting. He also restored an antique truck and tractor and enjoyed driving them in the Bluffton Street Fair. Wendell and Sandra were also blessed to share a long life of travel to many locations in America and around the world. Wendell and Sandra retired to Arizona in the early 2000’s.
Wendell became a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Snowflake, Arizona in 2004. Wendell and Sandra were sealed in the Snowflake Temple for Time and All Eternity in 2005. They moved to Mesa, Arizona, in 2011 and are members of the Boulder Mountain Ward in Mesa. Wendell held many callings throughout the past 20 years in the church.
Wendell was a recipient of a living kidney donation from his bishop in 2014. He had a great life for 10 additional years and shared many family moments that included the addition of seven of his great-grandchildren. The family would like to suggest memorial donations to a kidney foundation of your choice in lieu of flowers so that others may have this opportunity.
Funeral Services were held on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024 in Mesa, Arizona at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
Burial Services will be held at 10 a.m., Saturday Sept. 21, 2024, at McFarren Cemetery, 1300 W 500 S in Bluffton. Wendell will be laid to rest near his parents, sister and brother-in-law, grandparents, aunts and uncles. Burial services will be preceded over by his lifelong Chester Center friend, the Rev. Timothy Apt of Athens, Alabama.
Burial arrangements have been entrusted to Walker & Glancy Funeral Home in Montpelier. All are welcome to join the family and friends as we celebrate the life of Wendell J Osborn at the service.