Edward R. Osborne

Edward R. Osborne

CANAAN — Edward R. “Ed” Osborne, 77, of 12 Housatonic Avenue, died June 3, 2025, at the Danbury Hospital. He was the husband of Donna (Tanner) Osborne. Eddy and Donna were married on Jan. 14, 1984 and celebrated 41 years together.

Ed was born June 16, 1947, in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, a son of the late Ernest and Mary (Curtiss) Osborne. He graduated from the Housatonic Valley High School in Falls Village. Ed was called to active duty in the United States Army on Feb. 21, 1968. After Infantry training as a Light Weapons expert, Ed was sent to Vietnam on July 24 of the same year.

Assigned to Alpha Company, 2/1st Battalion of the 196th Light Infantry Brigade of the American Division, Ed was immediately immersed in combat operations near Chui Lai, Vietnam.

Intense fighting was the call of normalcy during Ed’s 1st year tour. On March 13, 1969, Ed’s patrol unit came upon a night ambush by both NVA and Guerilla participants laying waste to 9 Americans killed and 21 wounded. Holding their ground, and advancing, once severely wounded and killed in action had been cared for and evacuated by the men of the 196th; the remaining members of Ed’s platoon had been halved in numbers.

During the ensuing hours and days of unrelenting fighting, to include hand to hand combat, Ed, too, was wounded. Due to Ed’s Platoon Leader being killed, Ed was offered a battlefield promotion to further lead his men. He refused. Due to his attention to detail and calmness in the face of enemy combatants, Ed became the radio operator for his platoon. Eventually, he was tasked with resupply and the calling of airstrikes for 2/1.

Edward Osborne was awarded the Bronze Star w/(Valor), the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, other numerous awards and his most prized possession: the Purple Heart.

After the war, Ed became the youngest VFW Commander to ever hold office in 1970. He held numerous leadership positions from Quartermaster to most recently, Post Adjutant.

His legacy at Couch-Pipa VFW Post 6851 is enshrined in the countless hours of volunteerism and devotion to the Post. Numerous enhancements and renovations were conducted by Ed with his keen knowledge of tiling, sheet rocking and carpentry. He was a vociferous reader and later became the biggest advocate for Veteran Issues through the Department of Veterans Affairs.

He worked as a heavy equipment operator for Segalla Construction located in Canaan, Connecticut. He enjoyed fishing, and was a long time member of the Northwest Rod and Gun Club. As Donna relayed, his happiest times were shared at the Couch Pipa Post.
In addition to his wife Donna, Ed is survived by his son, Troy Osborne of Canaan and his daughter Nicole Delarosa of Florida. He is also survived by his sister Donna Lefevre of Canaan and his two grandsons, Logan Osborne of Montana and Finley Osborne of Canaan.

Funeral Services, with Full Military Honors, will be bestowedvva on Saturday, June 14, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. in Mountain View Cemetery Sand Road Nvorth Canaan, CT 06018. Friends and family are invited to join at the cemetery.

Following the military honors everyone is invited to the Couch-Pipa VFW Post #6851 104 South St. North Canaan, CT 06018.

Memorial donations may be made to the Couch-Pipa VFW Post # 6851 104 South Canaan Rd. Canaan, CT 06018.

Arrangements are under the care of the Newkirk-Palmer Funeral Home 118 Main St. Canaan, CT 06018

Latest News

A scenic 32-mile loop through Litchfield County

Whenever I need to get a quick but scenic bicycle ride but don’t have time to organize a group ride that involves driving to a meeting point, I just turn right out of my driveway. That begins a 32-mile loop through some of the prettiest scenery in northern Litchfield County.

I ride south on Undermountain Road (Route 41 South) into Salisbury and turn right on Main Street (Route 44 West). If I’m meeting friends, we gather at the parking area on the west side of Salisbury Town Hall where parking is never a problem.

Keep ReadingShow less
Biking Ancramdale to Copake

This is a lovely ride that loops from Ancramdale north to Copake and back. At just over 23 miles and about 1,300 feet of elevation gain, it’s a perfect route for intermediate recreational riders and takes about two hours to complete. It’s entirely on quiet roads with little traffic, winding through rolling hills, open countryside, picturesque farms and several lakes.

Along the way, you’ll pass a couple of farmstands that are worth a quick visit. There is only one hill that might be described as steep, but it is quite short — probably less than a quarter-mile.

Keep ReadingShow less
Taking on Tanglewood

Aerial view of The Shed at Tanglewood in Lenox, Mass.

Provided

Now is the perfect time to plan ahead for symphonic music this summer at Tanglewood in Lenox, Massachusetts. Here are a few highlights from the classical programming.

Saturday, July 5: Shed Opening Night at 8 p.m. Andris Nelsons conducts the Boston Symphony Orchestra as Daniil Trifonov plays piano in an All-Rachmaninoff program. The Piano Concerto No. 3 was completed in 1909 and was written specifically to be debuted in the composer’s American tour, at another time of unrest and upheaval in Russia. Trifonev is well-equipped to take on what is considered among the most technically difficult piano pieces. This program also includes Symphonic Dances, a work encapsulating many ideas and much nostalgia.

Keep ReadingShow less
James H. Fox

SHARON — James H. Fox, resident of Sharon, passed away on May 30, 2025, at Vassar Brothers Hospital.

Born in New York, New York, to Herbert Fox and Margaret Moser, James grew up in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York. He spent his summers in Gaylordsville, Connecticut, where he developed a deep connection to the community.

Keep ReadingShow less