Fern Osborne, an unstoppable advocate for Colorado seniors, died unexpectedly at her Sheridan home Dec. 15. She was 87.
Services for Osborne will be at 9 a.m. Monday at Crown Hill Mortuary, 7777 W. 29th Ave.
Osborne was still lobbying during the last legislative session. In fact, her calendar was full the day before she died.
Osborne had been in good health but recently had a cold, said her son Dennis Osborne of Sheridan.
“She was courageous and determined on behalf of people whom she thought needed a spokesman,” said former state Rep. Wayne Knox of Denver.
Former state Rep. Fran Coleman of Denver described Osborne as “my mentor. She taught me how to knock on doors, visit with people and be diplomatic. But diplomacy was out the window” if it hindered her goals. “She could be cantankerous and a force to be reckoned with,” Coleman said.
“No one ever pushed her around,” said her great-niece, Sally McLellan of Fort Collins. “She was a great community activist, feminist and humanitarian and a real character.”
“She was a terrific advocate for the aging and all people,” said Denver City Councilman Doug Linkhart, who knew her for 20 years. “She was a wonderful person — never shy about giving her opinion.”
In a 2002 letter to The Denver Post, Osborne complained that funding for many senior programs had been cut, including Medicaid transportation, Meals on Wheels, in-home care and adult day care.
She wrote that the state needed to get its budget “back on track” so there will be no more large cuts “to the frail, vulnerable, low-income senior.”
Osborne helped start Older Coloradans Fund, which helped fund Meals on Wheels, nutrition programs, material aid and transportation.
Osborne was president and vice president of Senior Lobby, chairwoman of Older Americans Coalition and past chairwoman of the Alliance of Retired Americans.
She was a member of the Denver Commission on Aging and on the advisory committee for aging of the Denver Regional Council of Governments.
Besides seniors, Osborne was always interested in women’s issues and children at risk.
Fern Downing was born in Denver on Jan. 1, 1922, and graduated from Englewood High School. She did office work at Lowry Air Force Base.
In 1949 she married Leland B. Osborne, and for many years they operated Riteway Meats.
Leland Osborne died in 1992, and Fern Osborne and her son, Dennis Osborne, operated the business until the late 1990s.
In addition to her son, she is survived by two others sons, Cary Osborne of Sterling, Va., and Tim Osborne of Tucson; and eight grandchildren.
Virginia Culver: 303-954-1223 or vculver@denverpost.com
