When I was executive editor of a north Florida daily newspaper in 1999, I interviewed a clean-shaven lad fresh out of college for a sportswriting position. I knew in minutes that I wanted to hire him, if only because it was so much fun talking with him.
I was smart enough to hire Matthew Osborne, which made me look good then and continued to do so when I hired him twice more, the last time a decade ago to become editor of the Cherokee Scout and Andrews Journal.
I was also smart enough to hire Samantha Sinclair as a reporter for that same newspaper in Florida. She also made me look good with her work, but she looked even better to Matthew, who married her, and they built a family with three boys together. I’ve always been happy about playing a part in bringing them together.
Matthew and I had lunch on Aug. 9 at Burger Boy in Murphy. The last thought in the world I would have had then is that four days later, Matthew would go to sleep and not wake up. A truly good man, he deserved many more years of life.
You don’t have to take my word for it. Here are just a few of the things folks who knew Matthew have to say about him; a longer version will be posted later this week at cherokeescout.com.
“There are certain people you meet in life who elicit so many ‘Remember the time …’ moments. That was Matthew. You couldn’t help but like the man. He just had something about him that drew you in, and you knew you were going to laugh a lot. The world is just a little less fun, and a little less weird, this week. And we are all the worse for it.” – former Scout sports editor Mark Townsend.
“I know for a fact that my life turned out better than it would have had I not met Matt and had not chosen to follow his lead. More than just an editor, he was a mentor and a guiding light in my creative journey. His keen eye and unwavering dedication helped shape my work into something I am truly proud of. He also had a kindness and patience that made every interaction a pleasure. Matt’s presence will be deeply missed, but his impact will forever be felt.” – former Scout assistant editor Penny Ray.
“We were 12 years apart, but I felt like I had grown up with Matthew as a best friend. The influence he had on me, as both a journalist and a man, is something I could never thank him enough for. We’ll keep the good times alive and the deadlines right on schedule.” – former Scout sports editor Kevin Hensley.
“Matthew was a terrific boss, mentor, friend and to his core a genuine human being. He stuck with me through every hurdle as a young writer and helped find my voice in sports journalism. But, more importantly, by the time I left, I gained a lifelong friend in Matthew. To say he will be missed, is an understatement.” – former Scout sports editor Sarah Woodall.
“When we were told our friend Matthew had passed away, it was almost like a chorus of ‘Matthew who?’ because it never occurred to us it was our Matthew. He was just here days ago. Our entire staff was in complete shock. A lot of little memories make me smile or laugh when I think about him.” – Scout Composition Manager Christy Guthrie.
“Matthew was compassionate, and taught me the ins and outs of my writing style without causing me to shy away from it. While his guidance and patience made him a great boss, his humor and thoughtfulness made him a great friend. His appreciation for family will always be a quality of his that stands out in my mind. Looking through our interactions through the years, it’s a saga of the same message: ‘Enjoy your beautiful
family.’ ” – former Scout staff writer Stacy Van Buskirk, who was still Stacy Green when Matthew and I brought her aboard.
“When I think of Matthew Osborne, I think of a humorous, caring person who often seemed more like an overgrown kid than an adult. It is said some good friends can go months without talking, and when they meet up it’s as if no time has passed at all. That is the kind of friend Matthew was to me. No matter how long it had been since our last conversation, we could pick up our friendship as if we’d talked the day before.” – former Graham Star staff writer Zelerie Rogers.
David Brown is publisher of the Cherokee Scout. You can reach him by phone, 828-837-5122; email, dbrown@cherokeescout.com; or on X @daviddBstroh.