January 17, 1940 – May 14, 2021

Kenneth M. “Ken” Osburn passed peacefully at his house on May 14th, 2021, joining Jesus in the kingdom of Heaven. He was 81 and was born in Colusa, California, on January 17th, 1940 spending most of his life in Truckee, California. Ken is survived by his wife Cathy of 50 years, his brother Jimmy Osburn, his sister Cathy Anderson, his son, Darren Newcomb, and his daughters Trudi Newman, Kelly Hill, and Paula Hewlett, many nieces, nephews, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Ken grew up in Truckee, loving fishing and hunting in the Truckee area. He graduated from Truckee High School when it was Tahoe-Truckee High School and the North Lake kids were being bused into Truckee. His lifelong nickname was “Wizzy” for “The Wizard” because in 1958 his high school basketball team went to the state championship and beat Nevada with his help. Wizzy was an avid ski jumper and jumped off the Squaw Valley Olympic high jump.

Wizzy owned and ran the Flying A gasoline station which was called “The Wiz In”. This was located in Truckee at the intersection of Donner Pass Road and Spring Street, where the replica of his gas station sits now.

He is preceded in death by his brothers Melvin and Gene, his sister Ruth, and his parents, Clarence and Ethel Osburn, who ran a car wash and Osburn’s Buick Garage which was the first and only car dealership in Truckee at the time.

Ken worked on I-80 in the early 1960’s, helping to create the east-west throughway from California to Nevada. He was an entrepreneur who started his own paving company. Ken loved to tell stories, and we are still looking for “the guy” who told him where the best hunting and fishing spots are on this earth.

A Celebration of Life will be held June 19th, 2021, at 2 p.m. at the Truckee Regional Park, Lower BBQ Area. All are welcome to attend.