| HIST |
of Honduras of Sumter, South Carolina
Charlene R. Osborne
Posted Friday, March 8, 2013 1:00 am
Mary Charlene Richardson Osborne, 63, went home Wednesday, March 6, 2013, after a long illness. She passed peacefully in her sleep, in her bed, at home. She was surrounded by her four-legged friends and her husband.
Charlene was born Nov. 5, 1949, in Sumter, the only child of the late Charles B. and Emily R. Richardson. She was educated in the city schools of Sumter. During her senior year at Sumter High, she met and fell in love with her “husband to be.” Following her graduation from high school, she wed William Joel “Jody” Osborne. They shared a life together for 43 wonderful years. They were joined in their lives with two daughters, Heather J. Turner (David) and Erin C. Weekes (Stuart), both of Sumter. She and Jody followed a long and exotic path in life. Charlene became a licensed practical nurse and served hundreds of patients in local nursing homes.
She and Jody, with the girls in tow, became the directors and houseparents of Greenhouse Home for Children in 1978 and stayed until its closing in 1982. She was “Mom” to more than 60 children, age 9 to 17. With the closing of the home, she and Jody, again with girls in tow, departed for a year of training at South American Missionary Society of the Episcopal Church, after which the family left for 1 1/2 years of service in the city of La Ceiba, Honduras.
The family returned to Sumter in 1986 and Charlene went back to nursing and caring for her husband and children. She developed a fondness for rescuing all forms of abandoned and neglected animals.
In her retirement years, she loved to indulge in her grandchildren, Noah G. Weekes, Thomas B. Weekes and Carmen Isabelle Turner. They could do no wrong in grandma’s eyes! As far as sons-in-law, Charlene often said that she could not have picked better men for her daughters.
She was a member of the Charismatic Apostolic Community.
A memorial service will be held at 4 p.m. Tuesday at Hagood Church of the Ascension, 5190 S.C. 261, near Rembert, with the Rt. Rev. James McManus and the Rev. John Ayers officiating.
The family will receive friends from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday at Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home and from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the home of her daughter, 830 Lucianlake Drive, Sumter.
Memorials, in lieu of flowers, may be made to the Sumter SPCA, 1140 S. Guignard Drive, Sumter, SC 29150.
Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home and Crematorium of Sumter is in charge of the arrangements. [3, 6, 7] |
1949 - 2013 (~ 63 years)
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