PONETO — Jessie James Osborn, 79, of Poneto, passed away at 2 p.m. Friday, Nov. 9 in his residence surrounded by his family.

Jessie was born on June 19, 1933, in Wells County, Ind., to Charles Curtis and Beulah Belle (Folk) Osborn. He graduated from P.A. Allen High School in Bluffton with the class of 1953. He served our country in the United States Army from 1953 to 1955 and was honorably discharged as a CP-1. In the service, he worked in the mail room in the summertime and in the furnace room to keep the barracks warm in the winter. On Nov. 25, 1955, at the Liberty Center Methodist Church, he married Sharon M. (Speece) Osborn. They shared almost 57 years of marriage together.

Jessie retired from General Motors as a factory press operator after 37 years of working from April 17, 1957, to Oct. 1, 1994. In 1957, he became a member of the Poneto United Methodist Church where he served as a trustee and bowled on the church league. As a trustee, he served on the committee for the installation for the elevator in the church. He also bowled for George Atkinson's Co-op Gas & Oil Team for 30 years. Jessie was one of the first members to help start the Poneto Fire Department in 1957 and served on the Poneto Town Board.

Survivors include his wife, Sharon, Poneto; children; Kimberly (Darrel) Ehlerding, Decatur, Kelli (Steve) Rush, Poneto, and Kathryn Osborn, Bluffton; seven grandchildren; Jamie (Randy Jacob) Miller, Decatur, Jeremy Ehlerding, Indianapolis, Justin (Kristy) Ehlerding, Convoy, Ohio, Jared Ehlerding, Decatur, Adam Rush, Poneto, Aaron (Katie) Rush, Craigville, and Lucinda Rush, Poneto, and five great-grandchildren; Jacob, Jonathon and Jordan Miller, all of Decatur, and Emma and Jase Ehlerding, both of Convoy, Ohio.

Other survivors include a sister, Betty Mayer, Swiss Village Retirement Center, Berne; a twin sister, Bessie Oliver, Bluffton; a sister-in-law, Naomi Osborn, Fort Wayne; and a brother-in-law, Robert (Martha) Speece Davis, Wauseon, Ohio; and several nieces and nephews.

He also was preceded in death by his parents; eight brothers, William Marion Osborn, Harold Dwight Osborn, Dale Alford Osborn, Jay Osborn, Clifford Osborn, Max Osborn, Charles Curtis Osborn, Jr., and Paul Osborn; three sisters, Ida (Osborn) Hankins, Mary A. (Osborn) Perry and Martha B. (Osborn) Zimmerman; and a granddaughter, Jana Ehlerding.

Services are at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 14 in Thoma/Rich, Chaney & Lemler Funeral Home, 308 W. Washington St., Bluffton, with Pastor Roy Nevil officiating. Burial is in Elm Grove Cemetery, Bluffton. Military graveside honors will be preformed by American Legion Post #111 of Bluffton and the United States Army Honor Guard.

Visitation is from 2 to 8 p.m. Tuesday and one hour prior to services Wednesday in the funeral home.