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.