Robert Jacob Osborn

Robert Jacob Osborn, 77, of Antwerp, Ohio, fell asleep in death on July 21, 2021, in the peace of his home and love of his family.

Jake was born in Belmore, Ohio, on August 15, 1943, to the late Robert Clark & Mable Isabel (Camp) Osborn. Following his graduation from New Haven High School in 1961, Jake headed to New York. He dedicated his life to serving Jehovah God, symbolized by his baptism on September 22, 1962. Jake voluntarily served for 2 years at the World Headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Brooklyn, NY, as a pressman, operating a Cottrell printing press. During this time, he met the love of his life, Barbara Ann “Bobby” Ginnever. They were married in her hometown of Saint Louis, Missouri, on January 11, 1964.

Jake & Bobby returned to Jake’s hometown of Fort Wayne, Indiana, to start their family. During one of their first family vacations, they discovered Evergreen Resort in Red Bay, Ontario, Canada. Evergreen became the annual retreat for the entire Osborn clan, old friends and new for over 50 years. You could always find Dad beside the massive stone fireplace in the lodge, library book in hand.

Jake worked as a cable splicer for FW Phone Co./GTE/Verizon for over 38 years. But he is best known as a loyal servant of Jehovah God, serving faithfully as a loving shepherd for nearly 6 decades. He was an active member of the Antwerp, Ohio, Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Jake took seriously his responsibilities as a husband, father, friend, and elder. He was a prodigious student of the Bible, drawing close in his relationship with God. His loyal love of Jehovah and for all of us was at the heart of everything he did, right down to the end.

While he awaits resurrection to a restored paradise earth, Jake will be sorely missed by Bobby, his beloved wife of 57 years; his children Robert William (Kathleen) Osborn and Kelly Marie Osborn, all of Antwerp; his siblings Linda (Larry) Spoden, and Mark (Cheryl) Osborn, all of Minnesota; sister-in-law Jeannie Byers of Missouri; brother-in-law John Osborn of Florida; 3 grandchildren, including Zachary McDaniels of Antwerp; 3 great-grandchildren; nieces and nephews, including Travis (Jennifer) Byers, Laurel (Korakahn) Thongvivong, Amy (Brett) Strong; and many, many more friends as precious to Jake as family.

A memorial service will be held over Zoom on Saturday, August 7, 2021. A video presentation will be shown at 1:30pm. The services will begin at 2:00pm with Brother Lynn Vann of Fort Wayne officiating.

Please email your name & email address to: jakeosbornmemorial8721@gmail.com in order to receive your Zoom login information for the memorial service. Please feel free to include any of your favorite memories or pictures of Jake that you’d like to share with the family.