Arthur Mason Osborn Jr.

Arthur Mason Osborn, Jr. was born on September 3, 1923, in Alexandria, MN, to Arthur Mason Sr. and Yetive (Burley) Osborn. Arthur Jr. graduated from high school in 1942. Then after attending an NYA and a Civil Service school he enlisted in the U.S. Army Signal Corps and then was inducted on May 31, 1943 into active service. In August, after basic training at Camp Kohler, California, he was stationed at Jackson Barracks in New Orleans, Louisiana where he was trained to be a marine radio operator. Then he was assigned as a radio operator aboard ships. From December 1943 to January 1946, he made nine trips across the Pacific Ocean. On January 26, 1946, he received an Honorable Discharge with the rank of Staff Sargent.

On May 7, 1946, Arthur received his Amateur Radio license for WØJDC. That fall he enrolled in General College at the University of Minnesota where he received an AA degree on June 14, 1947. After that he attended IT at the U of M and he also enlisted in the 47th Signal Co., MN Ntn'l Guard. After two quarters, the Guard got called to handle the Meat Packers strike and he never finished college. During his enlistment in the Guard, he was promoted to Master Sergeant. In 1948 he enrolled in the National Radio School in Minneapolis and took the "Radio Service and Repair" course graduating from that on March 10, 1950. During that term he obtained his FCC Radio Telephone Operator License. That led to work for WIGM, in Medford, WI.

In June 1950 the War in Korea started and in December the 47th Division, MN Ntn'l Guard was ordered to active service. In December, the 47th Signal Co. was moved to Fort Rucker, Alabama. While there as the Radio Operations Platoon leader he supervised the training of new recruits in a radio operations school. He also operated Amateur Radio Station K4WCD. On December 16, 1952, he received an Honorable Discharge.

In February 1953, he met his first wife Barbara Koehn Osborn at a folk dancing class in the Minneapolis WMCA. They were married on April 17, 1954, and moved to Madison where he went to work for WKOW-TV (ch 27). He had three children by that marriage: Amy (b. 2-3-1956), Arthur (b. 10-16-1958) and Clark (b. 10-16-1963). Barbara died May 23, 1970, from breast cancer. His son Arthur was killed June 1, 1977 (by a hit and run auto.) Amy died March 18, 1999, from breast cancer.

In November 1969, WKOW-TV appointed him Supervisor of Engineering for WXOW-TV (ch 19) so he moved to La Crescent, MN. In 1973, he met Lu Miller who worked at Erickson's Bakery. They were married on April 13, 1974, in the First Lutheran Church in La Crescent. Their residence from 1974 to 1996 was at 418 N. 1st St., La Crescent before moving to La Crosse. On April 1, 1985, he retired.

Arthur was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife Barbara; his son Arthur; his daughter Amy; his sister Elsie Sandefur; and his brother Duane. He is survived by his loving wife Lu; a son Clark; two sisters Ellen Osborn, and Mae Durland; five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be given to the Courage Foundation, Inc., Handi Hams Division, 3915 Golden Valley Road, Golden Valley, MN 55422.

A “Come and Go” Celebration of Life will be held Saturday May 11 from 2-5 PM at Schmidty’s Supper Club in La Crosse.