Thomas Scott Osborne

Thomas Scott "Tom" Osborne Indianapolis Realtor, Builder and Developer for over 50 years died Thursday, July 17, 2014. Tom is survived by his wife Patricia Brown Osborne and his four children, Bradford S. Osborne (Meg) Deborah Holtsclaw (Michael), Thomas M. Osborne (Madeline), Susan St. Angelo (Paul), grandchildren Robert Osborne (Shannon), Scott B Osborne, Katherine M. Osborne, Stephen M. Holtsclaw, Susan Jackson (Matt), Thomas M. Osborne, Jr., William Haydon Osborne, Charles S. Osborne and Mary Charlotte Osborne. Mr. Osborne was born in Indianapolis on November 23, 1929, the son of Floyd E. and Blanche Scott Osborne, both of whom are deceased. His death followed that of his first wife of 44 years, Gretchen Graves Osborne, and the mother of his children, who preceded him in death as well as his second wife of 3 years, Elaine Held Osborne. He graduated from Broad Ripple High School and received a degree in Business Administration from Butler University where he was a member of Sigma Chi Fraternity. Following graduation, he was commissioned Second Lieutenant and entered Flight School with the United States Air Force. His flight training was cut short due to an...[more]

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jury and he received an honorable discharge from the Air Force. Prior to entering the service while still an undergraduate, he entered the insurance business as an agent and was quite successful in this endeavor. He was the leading salesman with his company in the Indianapolis market. After leaving the service, he joined his father-in-law, A H Merriam Graves in 1955 as a salesman and in six months became Sales Manager. The company, A.H.M. Graves, Inc. was formed when Bridges and Graves (founded in 1924), split into separate companies. Mr. Osborne, together with a young architect, Tom Laycock, enjoyed a successful career having built a number of homes in several subdivisions namely Brockton and Sylvan Ridge neighborhoods. Several times they were the featured builder of the Indianapolis Home Show and were honored by being named Builder of the Year in 1970 by the Builders Association of Greater Indianapolis. Mr. Osborne was President of the Builders Association of Greater Indianapolis in 1974. Also during this time, he was involved in the building of over 1000 apartment units in three communities beginning in 1964 and continuing through 1975, that being Brockton Apartments, Oakbrook Apartments and Condominiums plus Watergate Apartments. In addition to the building and development phase of business, he also embarked upon a very aggressive expansion of the real estate brokerage business starting with one office in the Broad Ripple area and ultimately having 14 offices throughout the Greater Indianapolis area. Many of the area's top Realtors succeeded while at A.H.M. Graves Realtors. Tom Osborne served as Director, then Vice President, and was President of the Metropolitan Indianapolis Board of Realtors in 1978. He and his father-in-law were the only two people to be honored by being elected President of both the Builder and Realtor organizations in Indianapolis. He was also President of the Home Owners Warranty Corporation of Central Indiana and a Director of the National Home Owners Warranty Corporation and the National Association of Home Builders. He was a member of Second Presbyterian Church, Mystic Tie Lodge and a 32nd degree Mason, also the Scottish Rite and the Murat Shrine. Other affiliations include Gyro Club of Indianapolis, former member of the American Business Club, Rotary Club of Indianapolis, Indiana Society of Chicago, Maxinkuckee Yacht Club. He was an Eagle Scout and a Firecrafter. Family and friends will gather at Leppert Mortuary Nora Chapel, 740 East 86th St., Indianapolis from 4:00 -7:00 pm on Sunday, July 20, 2014. A funeral service will be held at Second Presbyterian Church on Monday, July 21, 2014 at 11 am with calling an hour prior with burial following at Crown Hill Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to your favorite charity.