Dan Osborn

Daniel Wyman Osborn, 70, of Mullen, Nebraska, died on Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025. He died from heart issues doing what he loved, going for an early morning jog with his two German shepherds.

Dan was born on July 31, 1955, in McCook, Nebraska, to Charles and Geraldine Osborn. He was the youngest of three, with brothers Kenneth and Floyd Martin.

Dan graduated from McCook High School in 1973. The first day of freshman year of college at McCook Community College, in 8:00 a.m. English class, he met his future wife, Shirley Radtke. After graduating from McCook Community College in 1975, he received his bachelor's degree in Animal Science from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1977.

Dan and Shirley were married on April 8, 1978, and made their home at the Osborn ranch north of Mullen. They had four children, Gerri, Colby, Clayton and Jincy.

To supplement the ranch income over the years, he helped Cy Cooley of Cooley Well Drilling, did day labor for Harry Coble and for the Quarter Circle Bar Ranch under Jim Hoffmann. He then became the ranch manager at Quarter Circle when Lone Creek Cattle Company purchased the ranch, until retiring in 2020.

Dan was a lifelong learner and an avid reader. He took many range management courses, which he applied as a steward of the land, having grassland management envious of many.

Throughout the years Dan served on the Mullen Rural Fire Board, Mullen Co-op Board and held various offices at Trinity Lutheran Church in Thedford.

As his children grew, so did his interests and activities. He was a volunteer for the Mullen junior and high school rodeos and the 4-H horse program.

The year he turned 55, he started training to run his first 5K with his daughter Gerri, the year she turned 25. He went on to run many more 5Ks, several half marathons and marathon relays with all of his children and some of their spouses. But running was just the tip of the iceberg and the adventures that all included family members were numerous. Among them were hiking rim to rim of the Grand Canyon twice, biking the entirety of Nebraska’s Cowboy Trail and running 1 mile in 29 states, passing away 9 days before his next trip to check off 5 more of the 50.

In 1979 he became an amateur radio operator like his father and brother Marty. After retirement, he got back into amateur radio in the digital phase now and enjoyed connecting with people all across the world.

Dan wasn’t one to sit around and always had a project going. He was a self-taught leather craftsman, building four saddles and numerous other projects like chinks, chaps and horse tack. He dabbled with various culinary pursuits such as home brewing and making hot pepper flake mixes from homegrown peppers. He enjoyed keeping tabs on the edible berry bushes he had planted throughout the ranch. The latest family project was building the in-progress ranch bunkhouse.

Dan was quick-witted and you’d never know what he was going to say next. He was known by his family for his Dan-isms.

While he was a home-body and never really cared for company, he did always love to spend time with family, especially when his grandchildren came to the ranch!

He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Shirley Osborn of Mullen, children Gerri (Dane) Peterson of Mullen, Colby (Amanda) Osborn of Lincoln, Clayton (Ariel) Osborn of Lincoln and Jincy (Justin) Ross of Callaway, grandchildren Teal and Danielle Peterson, Orion, Leo, Sage and baby boy Osborn arriving soon, and Stella Ross.

Preceding him in death were his parents and both brothers.

A private family service will be held.

Memorials are to the Mullen Rural Fire Protection District, PO Box 61, Mullen, NE 69152.