Wayne Osmond, a founding member of the beloved Osmonds singing group who was also older brother to Donny and Marie, died on New Year’s Day. He was 73 years-old.
Wayne Passes Away
Wayne’s death was confirmed to People Magazine by his brothers Donny, Merrill, and Jay. The brothers revealed that he passed on Wednesday in Salt Lake City, Utah after suffering a stroke.
“My dear brother Wayne passed away peacefully last night from a stroke. I’m so grateful that I had the opportunity to visit him in the hospital before he passed,” Donny, 67, wrote on Instagram. “Wayne brought so much light, laughter, and love to everyone who knew him, especially me. He was the ultimate optimist and was loved by everyone.”
“I’m sure I speak on behalf of every one of us siblings when I state that we were fortunate to have Wayne as a brother,” Donny continued. “Even though we are separated in this mortal life, I know that by the grace and resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ, we will have the opportunity to be with Wayne for eternity. I love you, Wayne. Your brother forever.”
Related: Donny Osmond Addresses If He’d Ever Work With Marie Again – ‘It’s Done’
Merrill Honors Wayne
Meanwhile, Merrill took to Facebook to open up about Wayne’s death.
“When I learned that my dear brother Wayne had a massive stroke my immediate response was to fall to my knees and pray for him to receive the assurance that his mission had been accomplished, and he was successful in this endeavor in many ways,” he wrote. “I immediately drove to the hospital in SLC to see him and I was able to say my goodbyes.”
“My brother was a saint before he came into this world, and he will leave as an even greater saint than he came in,” he added. “I’ve never known a man that had more humility. A man with absolute no guile. An individual that was quick to forgive and had the ability to show unconditional love to everyone he ever met.”
Merrill went on to say that “Wayne endured much. He gave it his all. His legacy will go down as someone who was not only a genius in his ability to write music, but was able to capture the hearts of millions of people and bring them closer to God.”
Wayne’s History
Wayne was the fourth oldest of nine children in the Mormon Osmond family. In 1958, he formed a barbershop quartet with his older brother Alan and younger brothers Merrill and Jay. They were discovered at Disneyland in 1961, and they soon became regulars on The Andy Williams Show. Brothers Donny and Jimmy would later join the band along with their sister Marie.
The Osmonds scored their biggest hit in 1971 with their song “One Bad Apple,” which sat five weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 100. They would go their separate ways soon thereafter, with Donny and Marie becoming an incredibly popular singing duo.
Wayne married the former pageant queen Kathlyn White in 1974, and they would go on to have five children. In the 1980s, Wayne regrouped with his brothers Alan, Merrill, and Jay as a country music band. They had a string of hits, including “I Think About Your Lovin.’”
Wayne’s Health Issues
Sadly, Wayne began suffering from serious health issues in the 1990s. He lost nearly all of his hearing in 1997 after undergoing surgery and treatment for a brain tumor. In 2012, he suffered a stroke that robbed him of his ability to play the guitar.
Despite this, Wayne always maintained a positive attitude.
“I’ve had a wonderful life. And you know, being able to hear is not all that it’s cracked up to be, it really isn’t,” Wayne said in 2018. “My favorite thing now is to take care of my yard. I turn my hearing aids off, deaf as a doorknob, tune everything out, it’s really joyful.”
Rest in peace, Wayne Osmond, and thanks for the memories!
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