Mildred Jeanette Osborn

MADISON - Mildred “Millie” Brunner Osborn (nee Jenkins), 88, died Sunday, July 11, 2021, at Agrace HospiceCare after a six-year battle with dementia. Millie was born Oct. 11, 1932, to Ida and William Jenkins in Kingston, Wis. Later in life, Millie regaled her kids with stories of Sunday dinners at the family farm and youthful hijinks, including sliding down haystacks and riding pigs(!) with her cousin Irwin. Millie grew up on Madison’s east side and attended Madison East High School where she pursued secretarial studies, graduating in 1950. Millie married the first love of her life, Aelred J. Brunner, in 1952, with whom she raised four children, Eileen, Michael, Annette and Barbara. Millie was raised Lutheran but took instruction in Catholicism before converting and marrying Ael. She loved being a mother and homemaker and all that entailed and was deeply touched upon receiving a ‘Best Mother in the Neighborhood’ Penny Carnival broach by one of her many young admirers. She sewed endlessly, designing her own clothes and making her children’s and was a masterful baker, canner, and cook. She loved shopping and winning a good euchre tournament! Millie pursued a secretarial career with the University of Wisconsin-Madison beginning in the Admissions office and the office of the Secretary of the Faculty. Later, she was departmental secretary of Art History and Space Physics. If Millie had any regrets in life, two would be not obtaining a college degree from her beloved University of Wisconsin and not making it to her aspirational age of 100! Her love of learning had her for years auditing classes while working at the University. In her 60s, she started taking classes for credit, but let it go while nursing her ailing husband, Ael, who died in 1998. Millie then returned to her Lutheran religious roots. After Millie met and married the second love of her life, J. Marshall Osborn, in January 2000, her eyes were opened to the love of opera, Shakespeare, the symphony and bridge, and these became favorite pastimes of Marshall and her. She loved the plays at APT (American Players Theater), and climbing the hill that kept her in shape, and she enjoyed sharing that fun with others as well! Millie loved life and everything that it embodied. She was an artist and enjoyed painting, drawing, needlework, knitting and quilting. She was an elegant lady who loved to dance, enjoyed dressing to the nines and taking her children and grandchildren to the Madison balls. She never met a Sparkle she didn’t love!! Family meant the world to Millie. Her greatest gift to us was the nurturing of her four children to be friends with each other throughout their lives and to value family closeness with spouses and grandchildren welcomed into our circle of love. She wrote to us: “Be happy, living each day one at a time. Savor the good things and times that come your way and know there are good people all around you. Concentrate on all the good in the world. I hope you’ll remember me as a kind and loving person who loves you a lot and who tried to set a good example the best she could. I hope you’ll forgive me my mistakes and remember me fondly. “ Millie is survived by her husband, J. Marshall Osborn; four children, Eileen (Leo) Mattmann of West Bend, Wis., Michael (Vlyn Davis) Brunner of Madison, Wis., Annette (Larry) Landsness of Madison, Wis., and Barbara (Richard) Cole of Evansville, Wis.; 10 grandchildren, Margie (Brian) Parker, Lindsay (Stephen) Tremlett, Emily (Thomas) Wells, Maxwell (Claire) Brunner, Samuel Brunner, Abigail (Tyler Anderson) Landsness, Becky (Ryan) McNeal, Anna Brunner, Molly Brunner and Paul Cole; and four great-grandchildren, Owen, Lily, Harper, and Wesley. She also had four children by marriage, Cathy (Garth) Kangas, Martha (David) Kershaw, Douglas (Barb) Osborn, and Erik (Anissia) Olson; along with grandchildren, Calvin Kangas, Ruth Kershaw, Carl Kershaw, Isaac Kangas, Alex (Abbie) Osborn, Sarah Lehman, Zach (Molly) Osborn, Beth Kangas, Amanda Olson, and Nicole Osborn. Millie was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Aelred (Ael); sister and brother-in-law, Arleen and George Ziarnik; and infant brother, Wayne. A memorial service will be held at BETHEL LUTHERAN CHURCH, 312 Wisconsin Ave., Madison, at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, July 20, 2021, with Pastor Mike Brown presiding. A luncheon will follow at the church. A private family burial will follow in Dalton. Visitation will be held at the church from 9:30 a.m. until the time of service on Tuesday. In honor of Millie, please try and wear a little ‘Sparkle’ at this gathering! In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Millie’s name to Olbrich Botanical Gardens or Bethel Lutheran Church. Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com. Gunderson East Funeral & Cremation Care 5203 Monona Drive (608) 221-5420