Douglas Robert Osborn

Douglas Robert Osborn went into the sweet, loving arms of Jesus peacefully May 1, 2026, at his home in Spring Branch, Texas. Douglas was the fifth son born to John Charles Osborn Junior and Ethel Ellen Bergeron.

On September 16, 1978, he married the love of his life, Connie Lynn Rust, at Saint Andrew Lutheran Church at Canyon Lake, Texas. Their union, which spanned 47 beautiful years, began with a celebration of dinner and dancing at Fischer Hall in Fischer, Texas. Douglas lived knowing that God loved him first, which allowed him to love others unconditionally. He remained deeply devoted to his family, friends and his country.

A third-generation soldier, Douglas was one of five siblings who all served in the U.S. Armed Forces. He joined the United States Army at the age of 17 on February 5, 1971, and retired as a Staff Sergeant at the age of 38 on August 20, 1991, after serving over 20 years of honorable active-duty service. To his troops, he became known as “Ozzie.” During his service, he was stationed in Belgium—where at age 18 he received his GED and worked part-time as a nightclub DJ—as well as numerous tours in Germany, including the Czechoslovakia border and Luxembourg. Stateside, he was stationed at Fort Hood, Texas; Fort Polk, Louisiana; and Fort Carson, Colorado, and completed desert training in California before retiring at Fitzsimons Army Medical Center in Aurora, Colorado.

Douglas found great joy in  He enjoyed dancing, bowling, woodworking and volksmarching. While he loved fishing, he often faced “steep competition” from his family and usually caught the least; he would jokingly claim he was “meditating” rather than fishing. On the Rust ranch, he learned to hunt Whitetail deer and mastered the art of processing and making deer sausage. He turned his love for woodworking into a business “Wooden Animal Kingdom”.

He was a fervent supporter of his family’s interests, especially his son Heath’s sports from seventh grade through his senior year at Smithson Valley High School. Douglas was famously the loudest person in the stands, ringing a large, custom-made blue bell. He later cherished watching his granddaughters’ gymnastics, volleyball, softball, and youth shows, where he became known as the “Nacho Man” for his favorite snack.

He was baptized, confirmed and raised in the Roman Catholic Church. Douglas was confirmed in the Lutheran faith after his retirement. He was deeply active in church life at Saint Andrew Lutheran Church (Canyon Lake), St. Paul Lutheran Church (New Braunfels), and St. Paul Lutheran Church (Bulverde). He served three years on the council at Saint Andrew, attended adult Sunday school, and served as a youth sponsor in Luther League, where his military background came in handy as he led these youth groups with a perfect balance of discipline, leadership and a servant’s heart during trips across Texas and Colorado. He volunteered his time serving communion and assisting with events like the “Living Christmas.” One of Connie’s favorite memories is the care he took in crafting all the buildings and props for “Bible Sand Story.” From 2016 to 2024, he also volunteered with Children’s Centre Los Niños, assembling food packages and personally buying candy and desserts to hand-deliver to the children.

In his retirement, Douglas enjoyed woodworking and painting, creating a craft business named “Wooden Animal Kingdom.” He was an avid bowler, achieving a high score of 287 in ten-pin league play before learning nine-pin bowling. He served as a bartender and board member for numerous terms at the Spring Branch Bowling Club, including two terms as President, where he was affectionately nicknamed “Krusty.” Douglas loved the outdoors, driving tractors and riding lawnmowers—being a passenger was never easy for him. He also worked for Paws in Heaven in Sattler, Texas, as a driver and pet crematorium assistant for beloved pets.

Douglas was preceded in death by his parents; his in-laws, Arthur Spitz and Dorothy Rust; his brother, Robert John Osborn; and his nephews, Mike Osborn, Jason Ryan Ewald, and Cole Ryan Ewald.

He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Connie Lynn Rust Osborn; his son, Heath Rust Osborn and wife Heather; and his granddaughters, Mackenzie, Amanda, and Savanna Osborn. He is also survived by his siblings, John Charles Osborn Junior (Floresville), James Edward Osborn and wife Karen (Idaho), Edward James Osborn and wife Erica (Germany), and sister Scarlett Zamora (San Antonio); his sister-in-law, Janelle Murphy and husband Mike (Canyon Lake); and numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews.

A memorial service will be held at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Bulverde, Texas, on May 16 at 11:00 AM (29797 US Highway 281 N, Bulverde, TX 78163), with Pastor Luke Allison officiating. In lieu of flowers, please donate to St. Paul Lutheran Church or Kindfulfoundation.org.