[3] He spent his early years in southern Maine, owning and running a large hardware store on Main Street in Biddeford as well as a big summer amusement park called Palace Playland in nearby Old Orchard Beach.
The foundation is a major supporter of higher education and the arts, and Osher has consequently become known as "the quiet philanthropist."
An initiative of the Foundation has funded over 120 Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes at universities and colleges in the United States since 2001.
[8] Osher plans to give away his entire fortune, as he has no heirs, but he enjoys the opportunity of helping members of several generations lead more fulfilling lives by his contributions.
[10] Osher was also awarded an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from the University of Massachusetts Boston in 2015.