Emily Osborn

STOUGHTON - Emily Osborn died peacefully at home in Stoughton on January 4, 2024, after a brief illness. She was born October 16, 1945, in Hillsboro, IL to Loren Osborn and Verna McBroom Osborn, and grew up in the small towns of Butler and Pana, IL. Mary Emma (as she was then known) played piano and trumpet, was a member of the Rainbow Girls and drum majorette of the marching band, and graduated from Pana High School as co-valedictorian before earning a degree in English literature from the University of Illinois. She started graduate work in English at Kent State University, but chose not to complete her studies when the upheaval of the Vietnam War protests and the National Guard shootings led her to move to Chicago, where she and then-husband, Michael Ducey, had daughters Ariel and Aimée. A subsequent move to Richland County, WI, inspired Emily to found the Ocooch Mountain News, a magazine dedicated to the exploration of rural life, folklore, stories, and commentary for which, over a period of about seven years, she edited, wrote, and photographed, as well as managing printing and distribution. Emily also met David Houser, her husband of over 40 years, in Richland County, and gave birth to their daughter, Jeni, there.

At the age of 41, Emily started law school at the University of Wisconsin and then embarked on a new career as an attorney. Relocating to Dane County after a brief stint in Indianapolis, IN, Emily and David opened the Houser & Osborn law practice, which served the Stoughton community for 22 years. During that time, Emily served on the board of the Stoughton Chamber of Commerce, including a year as its president. Her professional specialty was elder law - protecting the interests of older folks and providing legal education at senior centers, where she continued her lifelong development of intergenerational friendships. She was also a member of the board of Skaalen Retirement Services for a number of years.

Although she had a full and varied professional life, Emily drew the most satisfaction from friendships and the pursuit of her many hobbies. An avid gardener and cook, she was always ready to host dinner on the deck or plan an international meal on a sandbar of the Wisconsin River. Music was a pillar of her life - she sang in many choirs through the years and played piano most days. Art and literature remained steadfast pursuits as well. Her passion for genealogy took her to Boston, Salt Lake City, and Illinois for research, and she wrote several articles about ancestors and family history. She was a co-founder of the Ware Family Association, which traced the history of one of her ancestral lines, and edited the Roots and Branches newsletter for that association. Emily was a member of the Stoughton United Methodist Church for many years and then enjoyed being part of the Christ Lutheran Church community for several years.

Anyone who met Emily knew that she loved people - meeting them, chatting with them, and maintaining deep friendships over the course of decades. She was most thrilled by her daughters and their families, as well as her extended family and chosen family of many friends.  She was overjoyed to have found the love of her life in David and to have worked, gardened, and made music with him for so many years. Even as dementia took some of her capacities toward the end, she loved being with people and always felt safe with David.

Emily is survived by her husband, David Houser; daughters, Ariel Ducey (Ty Eggenberger) of Ghost Lake Village, Alberta, Canada, Aimée Gessner (Dierk) of Frankfurt, Germany, and Jeni Houser (David Blalock) of Madison, WI; grandchildren, Terrence, Eleanor, and Lee Eggenberger; brother, Harold Osborn; many beloved sisters- and brothers-in-law, nieces, nephews, and cousins; and Cooper, the dog. She was preceded in death by her parents, Loren and Verna, and her sisters, Dorothy Lay and Anne Eskeitz.

A celebration of life will be held at CHORUS PUBLIC HOUSE, 154 W. Main St., Stoughton, from 2 p.m. until 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 30, 2024.

Special thanks to the wonderful folks at Agrace Hospice for their kindness and support. A memorial will be held at a later date.

Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.

Gunderson Stoughton

Funeral & Cremation Care

1358 Highway 51 N. at Jackson St.

(608) 873-4590