Table of Contents
Osborne
Alfred Osborne
+Gladys Osborne
|-James Osborne
| +Ruth Campell
| |-Connie Osborne
| +Don Canning
| |-Philip Canning
| | +Elaine Canning
| |-Stephanie Canning
| +Shirley Anderson
|-Ronald Osborne
|-Harry Osborne
Ronald Osborne
Ronald Osborne was born on September 7, 1934 and died on August 21, 2023.
Obituary
Longtime Avondale Estates resident, Ronald Osborne passed away peacefully at his home August 21, 2023, at the age of 88.
Born September 7, 1934, in Columbus, Ohio, Ron was the middle son of Salvation Army officers, Colonels Gladys and Alfred Osborne. Ron grew up mostly in Washington D.C., where he attended Woodward School, located a few blocks from the White House, from second grade through high school. There he developed a passion for baseball, where his team played their home games on the Ellipse. He was an outstanding player and received an athletic scholarship to SMU in Dallas, Texas. However, baseball dreams called and to the dismay of his parents, he left SMU to play on the minor leagues at the age of 18. But in Dallas, Texas, he met his future wife, Ruth Evangeline Atkins, and those baseball dreams were replaced by a desire to get married and be home. It was the beginning of a beautiful and devoted partnership that would span 69 years, and bring about three sons, Marc, Eric, and Paul. October 1954, they married and moved to Decatur, Alabama, where he found his calling and lifelong passion within the Boys Clubs of America movement.
His professional journey began in 1954, with three Red Shield Boys Clubs (affiliated with the Salvation Army), in Decatur, Alabama, then to Baltimore and Winston Salem. Three sons born along the way, Ron continued his undergrad education at Wake Forest and HighPoint University, with graduate studies at New York University.
For four decades, he left an indelible mark on the lives of young people, serving in Clubs in Alabama, Maryland, North Carolina; New York City, Chattanooga, TN, and Atlanta, GA, where he was President and CPO of Boys Clubs of Metropolitan Atlanta for 15 years. His commitment to consultant and interim CPO to numerous Boys and Girls Club organizations, including those in Chicago, New Orleans, and Jacksonville, FL.
Ron's commitment to excellence earned him many accolades, both within the Boys Club movement and in communities where he served. Ron's legacy of promoting civil rights remains an inspiring part of his life story. Notably, he played an instrumental role in integrating Clubs, promoting minority leadership with the Boys Club movement, and the inclusion of girls in Club membership, a testament to his unwavering belief in equality and justice. In 1990, with the support of Board members, community leadership, the United Way, major foundation and corporate funders, club members and parents, Boys Clubs of Metro Atlanta merged successfully with Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta, to become Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta, extending services to additional thousands of girls throughout the counties of the metro Atlanta area.
Ron was a longtime member of St. Luke's Episcopal Church and the Kiwanis Club of Atlanta. Ron is survived by his cherished wife, Ruth Evangeline; and their sons, Marc (Kelly), Eric (Pamela), and Paul. He leaves behind ten grandchildren, and 15 great-grandchildren. Ron is also survived by his younger brother, Harry, lawyer emeritus; sister-in-law, Shirley (James); and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, colleagues, and neighbors.
Ron was preceded in death by his parents, Alfred and Gladys; his older brother, Jim, (who had served as National Commander of the Salvation Army in the U.S.); sister-in-law, Ruth (James); sister-in-law, Karol (Harry); and grandson, Joseph.