Who was Robert Osborn?

Sunday, December 11th, 2005 at 11AM the Missouri Bicycle Federation in cooperation with the Greater Kansas City Bicycle Federation is sponsoring a ride in memory of Robert Osborn and in support of safe streets and a safe city.

Please come out and support it if you live in the Kansas City area.

Robert was the victim of a senseless murder as he rode his bicycle home from work on November 20th.

Robert was an avid cyclist who rode his bicycle around the Kansas City area for both recreation and transportation.

Who was Robert Osborn? Robert's brother Richard prepared this biography of Robert for us:

THE LEGACY OF ROBERT OSBORN

By Rick Osborn

Robert loved the sense of adventure.

Robert Osborn

He was a rugged individualist with interests that were driven by an insatiable curiosity. Robert could start or join a conversation on any subject. He always tried to make you laugh. Everyone liked him.

Strong Character. Robert was a person of principle. He had a solid set of core values that were derived from a traditional family structure. He had a robust personality that was sheathed in an equally impressive six-foot, two hundred-pound frame with soft blue eyes and raffish blond hair. Born in Kansas City at the old St. Mary's Hospital, he was raised in a rural-like area in what was originally Jackson County, but is now on the eastern edge of Kansas City. He and his three brothers enjoyed family vacations, camping in the outdoors and boating at Table Rock Lake.

Boy Scouts expanded Robert's outdoor and character-building activities. He earned numerous medals and honors, including Eagle Scout and the "God and Life Award". He took pride in hiking twenty miles on many historic scout trails in the Midwest and was a member of Troop 421, which met at St. Bernadette's Church.

Many Achievements. High school provided an environment for Robert's pursuit of both athletic and academic accomplishments. He was a standout performer on the water polo and swim teams. After his junior year, Robert was selected for a special two-month, scientific research program that was sponsored by the National Science Foundation. As an honor roll student, he was consistently ranked in the top ten percent of the class.

Robert earned a pilot's license and was a member of the Civil Air Patrol. He set very high goals and dreamed of becoming an astronaut. After graduating from Raytown High School in 1980, he attended Purdue University. He majored in engineering, but demonstrated advanced abilities in mathematics, culminating in graduate-level coursework.

After college, Robert channeled his capacity for mathematical analysis into computers. He worked at Midwest Typewriter as a computer salesperson and support technician. This began a varied career that encompassed jobs as diverse as his interests. One of Robert's happier moments came when he was hired at Sprint, working in network and computer support. With a solid professional position, he was able to buy his first house in Kansas City in the same neighborhood as his father and older brother.

Life's passions. Robert's life was as complex as it was remarkable. His curiosity drove him on many quests. Perhaps his life can be characterized by the many intellectual as well as physically demanding hobbies that he loved to share with other people. The study of the pyramids was his favorite. His privately published booklet, "The Great Pyramid," shares his thrill of visiting the greatest wonder in the world during the Millennium Celebration. Robert enjoyed outdoor activities. He was an avid cyclist and used his bike for recreation and commuting. He climbed a 14,000-foot mountain in Colorado by himself.

Doing the little things in life made Robert unique. He was intensely interested in what was important to other people. Robert would find things that he thought were relevant to others. He enthusiastically embraced every opportunity for celebration. His generosity during birthdays and holidays was legendary. Robert made people feel special with creative gifts and cards. He would usually bring home-brewed beer, based on distinctive Belgian or German formulas, to family gatherings. He just wanted to make everyone happy.

Robert tried to find a deeper meaning in life with religion and traditions. He read the Bible many times and learned Hebrew. He was a previous member of Tri City Baptist Church and once studied to be an ordained minister. One of his favorite books was The Pilgrim's Progress by Paul Bunyan. Robert honored his ancestors by joining several lineage organizations, including the Sons of the American Revolution, Huguenot Society of Missouri, and Flagon and Trencher. His English, German, and Scottish heritage could be traced back five hundred years. His respect for the founding fathers and the Constitution was unparalleled. Robert flew a large American flag outside his home on every patriotic occasion.