Howard E. Osborne, 65, a retired employee of General Telephone, died unexpectedly at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday in Home Hospital. He lived at 810 Brackney St., Brookston.

Mr Osborne was a cable splicer, first with Bell Telephone for four years, then at General Telephone for many years before retiring.

He was born Sept. 8, 1922 in East Moline, Ill., and had lived in Brookston since 1980, moving here from Valparaiso, where he lived most of his life.

He was married to N. Christine Ford, March 16, 1948 in East Moline. She formerly was a cashier for Eisner's and a licensed practical nurse doing private duty nursing in Lafayette.

Mr Osborne attended the Pentecostal Church of God. He formerly was volunteer fireman in Greencastle and Liberty Township in the Valparaiso area and was a member of the Civil Defense in Valparaiso.

He served as a gun captain aboard the U.S.S. Cowwanesque during World War II.

Surviving with the wife are two brothers, Donald E. Osborne, East Moline and Stanton E. Osborne, Murphys, California; and two sisters, Mrs Lela Mae Pompa, East Moline and Mrs Laverne (Donna Rae) Murphy, Kewanee, Illinois. One grandchild survives, also. A son, Howard 'Butch' Osborne died June 17, 1969.

Friends may call at Hippensteel Funeral Home, 5 to 8 p.m. this evening. Service will be 10 a.m. Friday in Hippensteel Chapel with the Rev Leroy Hill officiating.

Interment will be in Graceland Cemetery, Valparaiso.