Betty Osborn, 95, of Lincoln, passed away and entered into eternal rest on June 15, 2020. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, great-great grandmother, daughter, sister, and friend to all.
Betty was born on February 6, 1925, in Oldland Common, Gloucestershire, Bristol, England to Catherine and Herbert Hunt. She grew up in England, excelled in school, and attended the Church of England. Betty enjoyed being outside, helping her father in the garden, picking apples, and taking care of the farm animals. She loved riding her bicycle and visiting her Aunt Alice and Uncle Harry in Salcombe. Betty was ten years old when she lost her mother to cancer. At age fourteen, the community where Betty and her family lived endured the bombing of the Battle of Britain at the beginning of World War II. She remembered hiding under the kitchen table or in a ditch along a road when she heard the bombs dropping from the sky. During the war, she worked in a printing factory and a Tuberculosis Hospital for children and remembered watching Bob Hope perform for the soldiers. After the war, she worked as a nanny for a British military family in London and even accompanied them to the beach in the summer. She also enjoyed touring London on her days off.
In 1944, Betty met a United States soldier named Clarence Osborn and they stayed in touch during and after the war. She decided to leave England in December 1948 at the age of 23 and she traveled to America on the USS America. Betty arrived in New York, NY and traveled to Nebraska by train. Betty married Clarence on January 21, 1949 and they were married for 70 years and raised two children. She became a U.S. citizen in 1951. Although Betty was never able to return to England, she was visited in America by her Aunt Alice and her Cousin Leonard and his wife.
Betty loved being a wife and mother. She made life fun for the family and encouraged her children to be active, focus on academics, and try new things (e.g. music, swimming, etc.). She was talented at sewing, knitting, and crocheting and used these skills to make clothes for her family. She enjoyed gardening, picking fruit, and canning. She also created and decorated wonderful cakes for birthdays and special events including a wedding cake for her son. Betty was a hard worker and worked for various employers over the years. This included making watches for Elgin, cooking cabbage burgers and delicious food for Gold’s Department Store Cafeteria, working at a Dry Cleaner, and cooking chicken and making birthday cakes at Lee’s Chicken Restaurant. She retired in 1982 with her husband Clarence and continued with a very active and full lifestyle. Clarence and Betty enjoyed walking, bicycling, hiking, camping, and traveling across the United States. They participated in patriotic, athletic, and parade events representing military, senior citizens, and active and healthy lifestyles. She especially liked to travel to the Colorado mountains to hike and watch the wildlife (e.g. hummingbirds). Betty loved to read her entire life and during retirement spent numerous hours checking out and reading books from the Lincoln City Library. Her favorite were books about Nebraska history and Native Americans. She loved to listen to the radio and music, especially big band music, marching band music, and music from the 1950s.
During her retirement, Betty enjoyed meeting and making new friends and was recognized for her volunteer contributions in the community, including the Senior Center, Life Lines, and Lincoln General Hospital. She used her textile skills to stitch newborn hats for babies and create puppets, blankets, and other items that were loved by all who received one. She volunteered at running and walking events (Cornhusker State Games, Senior Games, Lincoln Marathon, Omaha Marathon, Lincoln Buffalo Run, Bolder Boulder) and competed as a race walker in the Cornhusker State Games and the Senior Games.
Betty’s favorite hymn was “Crossing the Bar” which is based on a poem written by Alfred Tennyson. “… may there be no sadness of farewell when I embark… for I hope to see my Pilot face to face when I have crossed the bar.” She also loved to sing “One Day at a Time” “One day at a time sweet Jesus that’s all I’m asking from you, Give me the strength to do everyday what I have to do”.
Betty is survived by her two children – Viola Caddell (Ralph) of Milford, Nebraska and John Osborn (Cindy) of Longmont, Colorado. She has five grandchildren (Cathy Radke (Greg) of Seward; Ralph Caddell of Lincoln; Duane Caddell of Fairbury; Tracy Deba (Jamie) of Longmont, Colorado; and Brian Osborn (Sarah) of Aurora, Colorado) and eleven great grandchildren (Micaella Johnson (Earik) of Fremont; Stephanie Sell (Brice) of Hastings; Vicki Radke of Greeley Colorado; Andrew, Alexia, Brielle, and Ashlynn Deba of Longmont, Colorado; and Evan, Natalie, Colin, and Blake Osborn of Aurora, Colorado) and one great great grandchild (Emma Johnson) and expecting two more great great grandchildren.
Betty was preceded in death by her husband Clarence Osborn, infant daughter (Vicki), parents, brother John Hunt, and son-in-law Ralph. Betty was cremated and buried in Seward Nebraska. She will be honored and remembered in a private family memorial service. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials in her name be sent to Tabitha Health Care Services (The Good House). Trump Funeral Services, 1600 West “O” Street, Lincoln are handling the arrangements. Condolences may be left at trumpmemorials.com.
Betty Osborn was a truly remarkable person who’s impact on this world will not be forgotten. I pray the family finds peace and comfort in this time of loss.
Betty Osborn lived a long and wonderful life. Her legacy lives on through her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. She will be missed.
What an awesome & inspiring life Betty & Clarence lived. They raised two wonderful children & leave a legacy of a wonderful loving family & such an interesting history of hard work, service to their communities & joy of living life to it’s fullest. God bless the ‘Osborn’ family now and may they continue this beautiful start beginning with Betty & Clarence for generations to come.
Thank You Greta. That is a beautiful challenge.
My condolences to the family. It is obvious Betty left a loving family and lived an amazing life! She has undoubtedly left quite a legacy.
Clarence and Betty had a
very busy and colorful life.
Retirement only made them more busy..biking,
hiking, senior projects ..
A life well-lived! God Speed,
Betty!!
I love that phase: A Life Well Lived. That is the motto I am clinging too and how I hope everyone will remember her.
I have fond memories and great pleasure to meet Betty and Clarence in September 2011 when my daughter Kathryn and I visited them when we were in Lincoln for the Lincoln Air Show. I remember hearing a noise of a 4 engine bomber flying above and we ran outside to see a B-29 flying over their house. I will forward a great family photo I took to John’s email.
Betty Osborn always seemed happy to me . whenever I saw her she always had a smile on her face and had something nice to say. Such a kind lady. I always felt better after visiting with her.
Betty and I both worked at Lee’s during the same years. She was always “Miss Cheerful.” Later years I saw her and Clarence at Tabitha, and her cheerfulness had never changed. She was just a delightful person to have known! I’m glad she was in my life!
Sending our condolences to all of Betty’s family. We couldn’t have asked to have been blessed with better neighbors than Clarence and Betty. We will always cherish the stories and memories from the years we had them. Ken and Lisa Clover
My across the street neighbors, Betty and Clarence, in retirement, were always planning and doing and planning some more. Betty was endlessly curious about the world, reading, questioning, observing, learning. Thanks to the writers of the obituary which captures very well the experiences of her life and the family she delighted in. A remarkable, generous, resilient woman.
Very saddened to hear Betty had passed. What a nice woman she was as a neighbor and later a co-worker.
My deepest condolences to the family. Hope she is riding her bike in the clouds.