LOCAL COMMUNITY NEWS

She was born in Ionia, Mich., on Jan. 16, 1908, the daughter of Paul and Louise (Behrens) Kress. She was united in mar riage to Ralph Osborne Sr. on Feb. 18, 1934, in Elkhart, Ind. Together, they purchased a vari ety store business in Sparta in 1944 known as the Ben Franklin Stores. The later purchased stores in La Crosse, Augusta and West Salem.

Ralph died on Aug. 10, 1993.

She was a member of the Congregational, United Church of Christ, Sparta.

In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by two sisters, Doris Jenks and Isabel Geik; four brothers, Paul, Clarence, Edward and George Kress.

She is survived by two sons, Ralph (Judy) Osborne Jr., Sparta and Gerald (Sandra) Osborne, Mequon, Wis.; three grandsons, Brian (Sandra) Osborne, Ojai, Calif., Robert Osborne, Sparta, Christopher (Amy) Osborne, Nashville, Tenn.; two granddaughters, Stephanie Osborne, San Diego, Calif., Laura (Steven) DeGuire, Milwaukee, Wis.; six greatgrandchildren; one brother, Lawrence (Faye) Kress, Onalaska; two sisters, Amelia Gordon, Ionia, Mich., Alice Sullivan, Grand Rapids, Mich.

A memorial service will be held at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 28, at the Congregational, United Church of Christ, Sparta, with Rev. Luther Larson officiating. A private burial will be held at a later date. The Page-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.