Roger Osborne

Roger Osborne, formerly of Madisonville, Kentucky, died in Nashville, Tennessee, on January 6, 2022.

Born in Pike County, Kentucky, on March 20, 1941, he was the oldest son of Adam and Madelyn (Smith) Osborne. His parents were small business owners, and his time working in the family business instilled in him firmly held values of learning, hard work, integrity, and kindness. After graduating from college in 1962, he married his soulmate, Donna Rose Burke.

In 1980 he moved his family to Madisonville, Kentucky, where he opened his first business, a Burger King franchise. Later he would operate restaurants in Owensboro and Central City, Kentucky, and Jasper, Indiana. It is an understatement to say that he found true fulfillment as a business owner. He became enmeshed in the local communities his businesses served and made connections across the region, including as a founding director of the First United Bank in Madisonville.

Roger wasn’t always comfortable with leisure time and had few traditional hobbies, but he genuinely enjoyed time with family, loved nature, Kentucky basketball, and reading. Travel, particularly to the North Carolina mountains, was a welcome respite. He was a lifelong dog owner, though not necessarily a skilled dog trainer.

In addition to his parents, Roger was preceded in death by Donna (Burke), his wife of 50 years. Survivors include his daughters, Stephanie Osborne and Bernadette Tucker (Graham); his grandson Turner Osborne Rodgers and step-grandson Justin Tucker; his brothers, Fred Osborne and Dale Osborne (Teresa), a sister, Shirley Lusk, as well as nieces and nephews and in-laws spread across several states.

He received excellent care from the team at Abe’s Garden Memory Care in Nashville and was able to stay connected to the world by the frequent visits and advocacy of his daughter, Bernadette. While dementia patients can often demonstrate seemingly uncharacteristic and unpleasant behaviors, Roger remained patient, gracious, optimistic, and kind. Until quite recently, it was not uncommon to hear Roger offer his signature greeting, “Have a Whopper of a day!” to all he encountered.

Family and friends will celebrate Roger’s life at 1 pm on March 19, 2022, at The Pavilion at Harpeth Hills, 9090 Hwy 100, Nashville, TN 37221 https://www.pavilionharpeth.com/ Donations in Roger’s memory can make a difference at Abe’s Garden https://www.abesgarden.org/ , the Alzheimer’s Association https://www.alz.org/ , or the Team Western Kentucky Tornado Relief Fund https://secure.kentucky.gov/formservices/finance/WKYrelief .