Lt. Colonel Gladys Irene Osborne
| Lt. Colonel Gladys Osborne | |
|---|---|
| Rank | Lieutenant Colonel |
| Death Date | November 12, 1996 |
| Relations | Lt. Colonel Alfred Osborne (husband) |
| Appointment | Rank | From | Until |
|---|---|---|---|
| (Corps Officer) - Jacksonville, Flordia | |||
| (Corps Officer) - Bradenton, Flordia | |||
| (Corps Officer) - Columbia, South Carolina | |||
| Director of USO - WW2 Service | |||
| Manager - Evangeline Residence, Washington DC | 1947 | 1952 | |
| Property Secretary - Southern Territory | 1967 |
Gladys Irene Osborne, a retired Salvation Army lieutenant colonel and mother of former Salvation Army national commander, James Osborne, died Tuesday (Nov. 12, 1996) at Morton Plant Hospital, Clearwater. She was 88.
“She was a very caring, compassionate woman whose strong interest in others expressed itself in doing,” her son, James Osborne, said Wednesday.
Mrs. Osborne's husband, James Alfred Osborne, was a retired lieutenant colonel with the Salvation Army who died in 1993. By virtue of Salvation Army regulations, Mrs. Osborne shared the rank and duties of her husband.
She and her husband served the Salvation Army for more than 60 years, including stints in Jacksonville, Bradenton, Columbia, S.C., Washington, Baltimore, Charlotte, S.C., Louisville, Ky., Birmingham, Ala., Dallas and Atlanta.
“Mom was by dad's side all the way,” her son said. “They touched many lives, particularly service men during World War II when they were directors of the USO in Washington.”
The couple retired to Clearwater in 1974 as supervisors of all Salvation Army properties in the southern United states. Her son retired to Clearwater in 1993.
After retiring, Mrs. Osborne headed the women's group at the Clearwater Salvation Army.
Also active in the Salvation Army is a granddaughter, Connie, who with her husband, Donald Canning, is a major in Jackson, Miss., second in command of Salvation Army for Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi.
Other survivors include two sons, Ronald L., Avondale Estates, Ga., and Harry, Jonesboro, Ga.; six grandchildren, Marc, Alexandria, Va., and Eric, Paul, Bert, Garth and Anne, all of Atlanta; and 10 great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. today at the Salvation Army Worship Center, 1625 Belcher Road N. Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Friday at the Salvation Army Worship Center and burial will be Saturday at Westview Cemetery in Atlanta. Rhodes Funeral Directors, Belcher Chapel, Clearwater, is in charge of arrangements.