John Ernest Osborn, 58, of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, entered into eternal life on April 3, 2013.

John was born December 30, 1954, in Marshalltown, son of Jack and Laura (Kuehl) Osborn of Gladbrook, Iowa.

He graduated from Gladbrook High School in 1973 and Luther College in Decorah in 1977, where he played football and received a degree in accounting. While at Luther College, he acquired much more than a degree; he gained fabulous friends and his soulmate Jill.

After graduation, he moved to Chicago and worked as an auditor for the Chicago Board of Trade. He and Jill (Wolding) OSBORN ’77, were married in 1979. Their son Brandon was born in 1984. They moved to Bloomington, Minnesota, where John worked for Cargill Financial Markets. Their son Matthew was born in 1987. Through John's job with Cargill, they lived in London, England, from 1995 to 1999. They then returned to the States and made their home in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, where John was the Chief Financial Officer for Cargill Dow, Varde, and Deephaven.

John loved helping organizations become stronger in achieving their mission. He served on the boards of numerous Christian-based community organizations. He facilitated a Bible Study Fellowship group at Wooddale Church, a Bible study for men at the Salvation Army, and missions in Romania with his family.

In 2002, John was diagnosed with cancer and began 11 years of difficult treatments. John talked about his cancer as a gift from God, because although it would cause the death of his body, it had saved his soul.

John's family includes his wife, Jill, and two sons, Brandon and Matthew of Eden Prairie, his parents, Jack and Laura Osborn of Gladbrook, a sister, Kari O. (Pat) Narey of Waterloo, two brothers, Steve and Jim (Deb) Osborn of Gladbrook, as well as several nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and a great-nephew, all of whom he loved very much.

Services were held on April 6, 2013, at Wooddale Church in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. John requested memorials be directed to Hope Academy, an inner-city Christian school at 2300 Chicago Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55404.