Georgia Louise Osborn

Georgia Louise (Quilling) Osborn passed away peacefully on March 6, 2023, at age 77, due to complications from Alzheimer’s disease. A memorial service will be held in the spring in her hometown in Wisconsin, details will be updated when confirmed.

Georgia was born on April 6, 1945, on a dairy farm in Eau Galle Township, Wisconsin, to Raymond and Myn Quilling. She grew up in Spring Valley, Wisconsin, and attended grade school and high school there.

After finishing high school, Georgia moved to South Dakota with her parents and family, where she married Dennis Osborn and became a mother to three children.  They divorced in 1979, and she returned to Wisconsin with her children.  She then worked in seismic oil exploration, traveling throughout the United States, Canada, and Australia.  

In her 40s, Georgia decided to go back to school to pursue her passion for geology. She attended the University of Wisconsin—Eau Claire, where she earned a degree in the field. Georgia worked as a Groundwater Specialist for several years, for state agencies in both Wisconsin and Montana. 

After her career in geology, Georgia left Montana for Dayville, Oregon, to assist the family in caring for her uncle, George Manuell.  She served as Fire Chief of the Dayville Fire Department, and as an EMT, for several years.  She also worked for the National Park Service at John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, sharing her knowledge of geology with park visitors.

In her later years, Georgia was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, a cruel affliction that slowly robbed her of her memory and abilities.

She is survived by her children, daughter Lorrie (Todd) Pazdera of New Richmond, WI; son Brian Osborn of Waconia, MN; daughter Denise (Ralph) Parish of Chanhassen, MN; her grandchildren, Aaron Pazdera, Sean Pazdera, Kyle Osborn, Nicholas Parish, Thomas Parish, and Samantha Parish; and her sisters, Sherry Schlosser of Frederick, SD and Nona Gibson of Arlington, OR.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Raymond Quilling and Myn (Manuell) Quilling; her brother, Dan Quilling; and her sister, Camilla Quilling.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Dayville Fire Department through Driskill Memorial Chapel, 241 S. Canyon Blvd., John Day, OR 97845.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Georgia Louise Osborn, please visit our floral store.