Lion of the Week

Gary Osburn

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Gary Osburn was born in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and was brought home from the hospital to his home in Williamson County where he has resided most of his life. His parents were Mack and Nell Osburn. His mother was a school teacher and his father was a farmer/government worker. His father was a farmer, but was also the County Road Commissioner and for many years worked for the state of Tennessee. His mother was instrumental in starting up Harpeth Academy with Ms. Inge Smith.

Gary went to the Williamson County schools and is a graduate of Battle Ground Academy. After high school he obtained a degree in industrial technology from MTSU. He has also completed courses in electrical engineering.

The family used Mont Smith as their family dentist, and Gary learned from his mother that there was a new dental hygienist named Ruth that he should meet. So he made an appointment and went to see her. He says it all "went downhill" from there.

Gary and Ruth have two children, Kaitlan and Mark. Kaitlin is almost 19 and is a rising sophomore at Western Kentucky. She has excelled there and is in advanced placement class. Their son Mark is 17 and is a student at Page High School.

Gary is an Engineer at Middle Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation. He designs new services for customers such as Nissan, Crescent, Community Health Systems and Healthways. In his spare time, Gary primarily works. He has what he calls a "little construction company." This gives his family some added income.

But he does find some time to play a little golf, to travel and to shop for antiques. Gary says that there is nothing he does not like to eat, and nothing he does not like to do.

Gary has been a Lion for 15 or 16 years. He has held every office in the club except for Secretary or Treasurer.

When asked what he likes best about the Lions, Gary says "the food!" Then he laughs and says that "Lynn will love that." He finds it very satisfying to be able to help others. Even though his wife, Ruth, is deaf, and he himself is deaf in one ear, if it came to choosing between helping the blind or helping the deaf, he would choose the blind. He says he and his wife can cope with impaired hearing, but he can not imagine being blind.

Gary's contributions to Lions over the years have been invaluable and he is a fitting Lion of the Week.

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