Obituary : Osby DePriest Jr.
Published: October 23, 2008
Osby DePriest Jr. of Weymouth died Sunday, Sept. 28 at 12:43 pm at Boston Medical Center, after a progressive illness. He was 63 years of age.
He was born in Maine, on October 27, 1944, to Avis Williston DePriest and Osby DePriest Sr. He spent his childhood and most of his young adult life in Oak Bluffs before moving to New Bedford, where he met his soul mate Nancy Anne Costa Jeronymo, the mother of his three children: Dawn, Misty, and Heather.
He had many skills from commercial fishing to counseling and spent most of his young adult life working as both. Later he spent many years working for the Salvation Army in Hyannis, where he continued counseling people with addiction, many of whom became lifelong friends and owe their continued sobriety to him. He had many friends and was never at a loss for a kind or encouraging word for anyone in need.
He longed for the day his family could be together and had this dream fulfilled as his three daughters gathered around him as he passed on. He is survived by his daughter Dawn Kahikina and her husband, Ben, his daughter Misty Wren and her husband, Jeff, his daughter Heather Arnoldy and her husband, Jeff; his grandchildren, Tamara Kahikina, Ashley Kahikina, Benjamin Kahikina Jr., Sean Halbert, Avery Bowling, and Olivia Bowling; his brothers Ashley DePriest and Don DePriest; many nieces and nephews; and several great nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his father Osby DePriest Sr., his mother Avis Williston DePriest, his soul mate, Nancy Costa Jeronymo, and his brother, Bob Williston.
He will be dearly missed by the many people whose lives he touched and his oldest daughter Dawn would like to hear from these people. She requests that any family and friends contact her at 725 Sunset St., Coalinga, CA 93210 with any stories, memories, or pictures they would like to share.
A memorial service for him will be held at Seaman's Bethel in Downtown New Bedford on October 29 at 2 pm. Also, the Salvation Army in Hyannis will be holding a memorial service for him on the same date at the same time.
Spencer's Funeral Home of Boston was responsible for the cremation.
