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
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