Geraldine Caroline Osborn

Geraldine Caroline (Duch) Osborn, 90, of Conway passed away on March 27, 2023. She was born on October 26, 1932 to Loddie and Alma Taylor Duch on her family's farm in Slovak, AR. She is survived by her loving children: Gwen Osborn Gardner, Gerry Mark Osborn, Ginger Osborn Richards (Jeff) and Isaac Osborn; her grandchildren: Michael Osborn, Amy Osborn, Melinda Osborn Black (Jamey), Laurie Osborn Gallaway (Ray), Ginny Gardner Fraize (Loren), Molly Gardner Parker (Clay), Charley Gardner (Jassa), Maggie Osborn Howe, Katherine Osborn Jones (Blake), Patrick Mulcahy (Joanna), Shane Mulcahy, Sarah Richards Ramsay (Alex), Faith Richards, and twenty-six great-grandchildren. Survivors also include her siblings Erevn Duch (Bobbie) and Bennie Duch (Linda) and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband of 65 years, James Grady Osborn, her children; Gary Michael Osborn, James Grady Osborn Jr and infant daughter Laura Josephine Osborn; and her siblings, Maymie Parker and Donnie Duch.

Geraldine was the oldest of five children. Her childhood memories were some of her favorites that she loved to share. Life in the 1930’s on the farm did not provide the comforts of heating or air conditioning or clothing that kept you toasty warm. So her chores of gathering eggs, feeding the animals or bringing in wood held several stories. And walking to school with bare legs in the winter was one for sure! Her favorites were mostly about her Mom, and helping her with everything from laundry in the big black boiling pot, or the tub & washboard, gardening, canning and cooking. She was a wonderful cook and she attributed that to the wonderful cook Grandma Duch was. She married our father, Jim Osborn, when she was 17 years young and began our family. We were the focus of her day, every day. Our memories hold the many warm delicious meals she made for us, along with stories and names for the foods we loved. Squash wasn't “squash.” It was “sunshine” and it would make us grow to be pretty/handsome. That’s just one example, and there were many others. As we got older, making a home and cooking good meals was forever important, but she had time to venture out into the main streets of Jonesboro and discover the land of retail. With age, she honed her skill and developed her style of shopping..Each aisle of a store was an adventure. She had stamina and it wasn't necessary to be looking for anything specific… just out looking. And not just certain stores, as she liked any store that offered something to consider. If there was time and she passed a resale/flea-market, the brake lights were going to light up! And she could find a treasure if there was one to be found.

She had lots of treasures. Lots of things she loved. Hot coffee from sunup to sun down. Watermelon. Tomatoes. The color orange. Wearing jewelry. Having a reason to get dressed up. Singing and dancing in the kitchen especially with her children and her grandchildren. Decorating her home for the seasons with bunnies, pumpkins or snowmen. She could never have too many bunnies or pumpkins or snowmen. Her home in Conway was the home she had dreamed of having one day. And it provided a new beginning and friendships that brought immense joy. Being surrounded by family and friends made her heart full of happiness and she felt blessed every day, even when the sun was not shining. She dreamed good dreams for all of us that she loved, and she wanted us to be healthy and happy. One of her favorite dreams was ice skating in beautiful, flowing costumes and gliding through the clouds with the grace and talent of Peggy Fleming. I imagine she has put on those skates. She is wearing something beautiful (definitely with glitz and sparkle), has put on a splash or two of her favorite cologne and is gliding through the Heavens with Patsy Kline, Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra singing.

Twirl and glide, twirl and glide, Mama! Those wings may be better than the skates! I'm sure Our Lord has given you a perfect score❤️

Visitation will be held at Griffin Leggett Funeral Home in Conway on Monday, April 3 at 10 a.m. followed by a memorial service at 11:00 a.m. The family will hold a private burial at a later date.

The family request that memorials be made to: Alzheimer’s Arkansas, 201 Markham Center Drive, Little Rock, AR 72205.