Jean W. OsbornJean W. Osborn died peacefully in her sleep on July 1st in San Diego, CA, just one month prior to her 97th birthday. Jean was born on August 23rd, 1920 in Evanston, Illinois to Marjorie Baxter Wiltberger and Alfred S. Wiltberger. She was raised on the North Shore of Chicago. Jean often shared stories with her family and friends of summer nights with her neighborhood friends playing kick-the-can and swimming in Lake Michigan. Jean attended New Trier High School in Kenilworth, Illinois, Bradford Jr. College in Massachusetts and Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. At Northwestern Jean was a Member of the Alpha Phi Sorority and was voted the Most Typical Co-ed in the USA. Jean met her husband, Robert "Bob" Osborn at Northwestern. After college Jean moved to South Bend, Indiana, where she and Bob were married. They both worked to support the WWII war effort. Bob worked for Bendix Corporation and Jean worked at the Studebaker Automotive plant. Jean gave birth to their first son David in 1942. The family then moved to Fort Collins in 1946, after Bob had read an advertisement for a hardware store for sale. Shortly thereafter, he and his good friend from South Bend, Emil Michaels opened Michaels & Osborn Hardware. Two years after arriving in Fort Collins, their second son, William "Bill" Osborn was born at Poudre Valley Hospital. Jean always had great stories and memories of moving to Fort Collins, which at the time was a growing agricultural community of less than 15,000 people. Jean and Bob's first Fort Collins residence was in a small, one bedroom, basement apartment with polka musicians living (and dancing) upstairs at 625 West Mulberry. In these early years Jean created many friendships that lasted a lifetime in organizations like various bridge clubs as well as helping to form groups such as The Culture Club and a book club that still exists today. Jean was actively involved in the Fort Collins community, was a booster of CSU and a donor to Poudre Valley Hospital, also volunteering there as a 'Pink Lady.'In the early seventies Jean and Bob built a home in the Terry Shores subdivision where eventually both their two sons also moved to raise their families. Jean enjoyed being close to her boys and felt very fortunate to watch her grandchildren grow up. Jean watched for the school bus arrival every morning where her grandchildren can still remember seeing her standing at the window with a big wave send-off to school.After her boys graduated from Fort Collins High School, Jean with a female friend, started the Edgerton Travel Company which was quite novel for the times being a solely owned and operated female business. Jean and Bob loved to travel and were fortunate to visit many parts of the USA and the world, spending winter months per year in Maui, Hawaii and San Diego, California and eventually retiring and living in San Diego for the last 10 years. Jean and her younger sister Margaret "Peg" Wiltberger remained close during their lives and after Bob's death in 2009 lived in adjacent apartments in the same Casa Manana retirement community in La Jolla, California. They enjoyed reconnecting and spending quality time together and commenting on the quality of the "food". Many renditions of Peg playing the piano and Jean singing her favorite song, "Body and Soul" could be heard coming from the common room at the Casa Manana retirement complex.Jean was very active and loved to spend time outdoors. She was an excellent tennis player, golfer, and waterskier. She also loved snow skiing, boating and especially swimming. Jean swam miles in Horsetooth Reservoir and especially loved swimming in the Pacific Ocean. Jean had a particular affinity for dolphins, and was confident she would come back as one.Jean will be remembered as a beloved mother, cherished grandmother and loyal friend to many. Also, she never turned down a hot fudge sundae with "extra pecan nuts please." Jean had a beautiful and contagious smile. She was a joy to be around and continues to be celebrated in the hearts of those she touched.Jean is preceded in death by her husband Robert Osborn (7/23/09), her son William Osborn (7/29/12) and her sister Margaret Wiltberger (7/16/15). Jean is survived by her son David Osborn (Gretchen), daughter-in-law Connie Osborn, her grandchildren, D. Christian Osborn (Holly), Mathew Osborn (Anne), Amanda Hood (Ryan), Michael Osborn (Pricila) and six great grandchildren. A celebration of life will be held in Fort Collins, August 11th, 2-4 pm at Fort Collins Country Club.