Osgood, Donald

Donald Wentworth Osgood of Midlothian, formerly of Petersburg, died at Brandermill Woods Retirement Community on September 19, 2005.

His beloved wife, Sherley Scott Osgood of McKinney, TX, whom he married in 1946, died in 2002.

Survivors include his son and daughter, Thomas Wentworth Osgood of Richmond and Sherley Osgood Keith of Alexandria, daughter-in-law, Lloyd Gunter Osgood; son-in-law, Craig Race Keith; and four grandchildren, Harrison Wentworth Keith, Robert Clark Keith, Layton Scott Osgood and Thomas Wentworth Osgood III.

The son of Alfred and Inez Yeaton Osgood, Mr. Osgood was born in Rochester, NH, on August 27, 1919. He was descended from several of New Hampshire’s oldest families, all of whom traced their history in the area to the 1630s. A graduate of Rochester High School, he attended the University of New Hampshire and later graduated from The George Washington University. He also attended graduate school at Georgetown University. He was a talented jazz musician who played trombone in the Rochester City Band and in a number of dance bands in New Hampshire and Maine.

His distinguished military service began with his enlistment in the Army on January 12, 1942. He was selected for OCS and, after training, served as a heavy weapons instructor at Camp Howse, Texas. He landed at Omaha Beach in Normandy on June 26, 1944, where he was assigned to the 30th Infantry Division and became H Company Commander in August.

From June of 1944 to May of 1945, he led his troops at the battle of the St. Lô Breakthrough, the liberation of Maastricht, Holland, and the Battle of the Bulge as well as the invasion of Germany. He was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge and the Bronze Star with V for valor and two oakleaf clusters.

Following World War II, Osgood decided to make the Army his career and subsequently served as Commandant of displaced persons camps in the Linz, Austria area. In 1950 he was posted to Korea where he was awarded an additional Bronze Star oakleaf cluster as head of the Army’s only psychological warfare unit, the First Loudspeaker and Leaflet Company. Later assignments included duty with the Special Warfare Center at Ft. Bragg, NC; U.S. Army Europe Headquarters in Heidelberg, Germany; and the Continental Army Command at Ft. Monroe, VA.

After retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1962, he accepted a position with the Army Quartermaster Headquarters at Ft. Lee, VA, as a logistics expert, planning studies to determine the future needs of the Army. He retired as a civilian in 1982 after 20 years of distinguished service.

During his 34 years as a Petersburg resident, Osgood was a member of the Rotary Club and the Country Club of Petersburg. He was also an active member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and Christ and Grace Episcopal Church. In his retirement years he enjoyed golf, gardening and travel and pursued two lifelong passions: history and Dixieland jazz. In 1996 he and his wife moved to Brandermill Woods Retirement Community.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 am on Thursday, September 22, 2005 at the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer, Winterfield at Salisbury Rd., Midlothian, with a reception to follow in the parish hall. Burial will be held at 2:00 p.m. at Southlawn Memorial Park in Prince George.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer Foundation, 2341 Winterfield Road, Midlothian, VA 23112 or to Brandermill Woods Foundation, 14311 Brandermill Woods Trail, Midlothian, VA 23112. Condolences may be registered at www.jtmorriss.com.