Obituary: Walter Osborn

May 27, 1942 – January 28, 2023

Walter Leon Osborn, 80, of Fort Collins, CO, a quiet gentle father of three boys, passed away unexpectedly from an accidental fall and subsequent stroke on Saturday, January 28, 2023. Walt is survived by his half-brother Rich (Shields), half-sister Sandy (Shields), sons Tad and Roy Osborn and mother to his children, Pam Hope. Walt was preceded in death by his son Tom, sister Sharilyn (Powell), wife Carol, stepfather Dave (Shields), mother Opal (Cook) and father Walter (Earl) Osborn. He was born May 27, 1942 in Glenwood Springs, CO and loved to fish, camp and often played golf and boated around Ruedi Reservoir. He was known for his quick wit and dry humor. Walt grew up in the Denver, CO area, served in the Army, then met and married his first wife, Pam (Woodard) Hope and subsequently moved to the Roaring Fork Valley in the early 1970s. They bought some land in Old Snowmass and raised their three boys, Tad, Tom and Roy. Walt was an extraordinary entrepreneur, starting many successful businesses, most notably Ozzie’s Shoes (stores in Aspen, Vail and Sun Valley, ID), Websters Electronics, and Two Shoes in Aspen. Walt moved to Las Vegas in the early 1990s where he loved to play Keno, drink coffee and smoke cigarettes with his second wife Carol, which they often did for entertainment. After losing Carol, Walt moved back to Colorado to be with his family where he lived for the remainder of his life with his son Roy. Walt was blessed to be able to live an independent life and able to watch his grandkids grow up.