Bettie Anne Ginn Osborne

Published 1:23 pm Tuesday, November 24, 2015

RICHMOND — Bettie Anne Ginn Osborne, 88, died peacefully on Friday, Nov. 20, 2015, surrounded by her family at the Hermitage at Cedarfield in Richmond, Virginia, a place she has called home for over 19 years. She was predeceased by her beloved husband of 35 years, William T. Osborne. Mrs. Osborne was born on Sept. 21, 1927, at Walter Reid Army Hospital in Washington, D.C., the oldest child of the late Brig. General L. Holmes Ginn Jr., and Mary Virginia Lumsden Ginn.

Bettie Anne Ginn Osborne

She graduated from St. Catherine’s School in 1945, and attended Mary Washington University (Mary Washington College of the University of Virginia). Along with Richmond, Mrs. Osborne has also lived in Washington, D.C.; Ancon Canal Zone, Panama; Fort Knox, Kentucky; Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania; Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; and Chatham, New Jersey.

Mrs. Osborne is survived by her two devoted daughters, Pamela P. McElrath and her husband, John W. McElrath, of Richmond, and Susan P. Powell and her husband, Dr. C.L. Powell Jr., of Littleton, North Carolina, and formerly of Franklin, Virginia; two step-daughters, Elizabeth O. Bond and her husband, John M. Bond Jr., of Baltimore, Maryland, and Louise M. Osborne of Litchfield, Connecticut, and David K. Haedt of Oxford, New Hampshire; seven grandchildren, Bryce H. Powell (Meredith) of Charlottesville, Virginia; Dr. Jonathan R. Powell (Kathryn) of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; John M. Bond III (Nina) of Baltimore; William O. Bond (Erin) of New York City, New York; Olivia H. Stevens (Christopher) of Norwalk, Connecticut; MacKay O. Haedt of Salt Lake City, Utah; and William P.S. McElrath of Richmond; seven great-grandchildren, John M. Bond IV, Thomas A. Powell, Henry G. Stevens, Gunner W. Stevens, William F. Bond, Margaret L. Bond and Andersen R. Powell; and two brothers of Richmond, Maj. Gen. L. Holmes Ginn III (retired) and George H. Ginn.

She is also survived by nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of friends throughout the country.

True to the St. Catherine’s School motto, “what we keep we lose; only what we give remains our own,” Mrs. Osborne lived her life in the tireless service to family, friends, numerous organizations and her church. After her marriage to Bill Osborne in 1974 and moving to Chatham, Mrs. Osborne quickly embraced the volunteer community. In 1975, she helped found a chapter of New Eyes for the Needy and the Chatham Chapter of Meals on Wheels in 1985. She was an active member of the Bonnie Brae Auxiliary, Chatham Twig 14 of Overlook Hospital Auxiliary, and the Southeast Morris County Chapter of the American Red Cross.

Of all her numerous charitable and volunteer activities, Mrs. Osborne was most proud of her unflagging work on behalf of the homeless and Alzheimer’s Association. In 1995, she was honored for her exceptional volunteer efforts on behalf of the homeless families in Morris County, New Jersey, by the Interfaith Council for Homeless Families of Morris County. In 1996, she was named Rotary Citizen of the Year for her years of outstanding volunteer work by the Rotary Club of Chatham. In 2009, Mrs. Osborne was recognized for her outstanding fundraising efforts on behalf of the Richmond Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association.

As she so often said, Mrs. Osborne was “a people person” and she enjoyed meeting people from all walks of life. She also took great joy in entertaining, dancing, music and parties. As one of the original residents of Cedarfield, she quickly became an integral part of the continuing care community as a tireless volunteer and chaired and served on numerous committees, almost until the end of her life.

Mrs. Osborne was a former member of the Perennial Garden Club of Chatham, the Sterlingwood Woman’s Club and the Tuckahoe Woman’s Club of Richmond. She was a member of Three Chopt Presbyterian Church and a former member of the Presbyterian Church of Chatham Township and Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church (Richmond).

The memorial service will be on Saturday, Dec. 5, at 11 a.m., in the Hermitage at Cedarfield, 2300 Cedarfield Parkway, Richmond.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the charity of your choice, the Samaritan Fund at Cedarfield, 2300 Cedarfield Parkway, Richmond, VA 23233; or the American Lung Association, Mid-Atlantic Chapter, 3001 Gettysburg Road, Camp Hill, PA 17011.

The family would like to express their sincere appreciation and gratitude to the entire staff, employees, and many friends at Cedarfield. Your support, compassion and many kindnesses will be long remembered.