In Memory of

Willodean

"Dean"

Osborne

Obituary for Willodean "Dean" Osborne

Vondel Smith Mortuary at South Lakes

Willodean "Dean" (Ivey) Osborne was born in Breckenridge, TX to Guthardge Mastron and Rosa Lee (Adcox) Ivey. She was raised in the areas surrounding Breckenridge and Mineral Wells, TX and graduated from Mineral Wells High School in 1942. After high school Dean worked as a telephone operator for Southwestern Bell in Mineral Wells, TX. It was during the World War II years that many sport teams were stopped as most men were away in the war effort. Dean joined a baseball team with her workmates and played on it throughout the remainder of the war years. It was during her time with SW Bell that she often went to eat at the café across the street from the phone company. The café happened to be owned by her future mother-in-law who had the picture of her soldier-son on the counter. Dean saw the picture of a young soldier almost every day, but it was on a blind date that she would first meet him. With that first date, she knew she had met the love of her life and six weeks later she was married to John E. Osborne. They were married on February 20, 1947 and shared over 68 years of marriage together. They were blessed with 3 children, Carolyn, Kenneth and Harry. As a full-time wife, mother and homemaker, Dean found the greatest role of her life – as a loving, faithful wife and a loving mother who taught her children to have a strong faith and love for God above all else. A number of years later, after her children were grown, the gave her a Bible inscribed with a dedication that said: “It is with our love that we give you this Bible, though its content you instilled in us by teaching and example before we could read and throughout our lives.” She truly was like the worthy woman of old whose “children rise up and call her blessed.” Their family grew by leaps and bounds over the years with a total of 6 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren.

Dean loved serving the Lord and enjoyed being involved at her church, 84th Street church of Christ. She was a faithful member who made it her practice to be at every service. Although her health had kept her from attending some services recently, Dean was there at every possible chance, even coming the week before her passing. She will be greatly missed by her family, both physical and spiritual.