Obituary of Dorothy Tod Osborne

DOROTHY “TOD” M. OSBORNE, R.N., MA, Ph.D., of West Gouldsboro, 87, passed away on February 24, 2010 after several years of suffering with Alzheimer’s Disease. She was born January 15, 1923 in New Bedford, Massachusetts, daughter of Joseph and Marie (Carrier) Booker. The Rev. Wesley D. Osborne, husband, who was a summer pastor on the Peninsula for the Maine Seacoast Mission Society for 25 years, predeceased her in 1978. She was predeceased by siblings Tom, Joe, Gertrude and Marguerite. She is survived by her son, John W. Osborne of Milton, NY, her daughter and caregiver, Anne D. Osborne of West Gouldsboro and special “daughter/friend”, Jan Dodge of Belfast and Sorrento. She is also survived by two sisters, Priscilla Booker of So. Dartmouth, MA and Gwen Weigner of Warwick, RI and “Boots” aka “Figaro” the Good Samaritan cat. Her life was given in loving and serving others, nursing, teaching, mothering, community service and church work. She was a lifelong learner and received her PhD in Education at the age of 53. In Maine she served as the Director of Nursing at Mt. Desert Island Hospital, helped develop the comprehensive plan for the Town of Gouldsboro and taught nursing through the Sumner Adult Education Program. Upon retiring to her beloved cottage by the pond in 1984, she pursued her lifelong passion of writing poetry and painting. She was the recipient of numerous awards and commendations for her literary achievements. Her poems were published in several magazines and chap books. Tod’s family would like to express their gratitude to Connie Knuppel/caregiver and the dedicated nurses and staff of the Narraguagus Bay Health Care Facility for their loving and diligent care and to our friends for their support, especially Cathy Fonda of Addison. At her request, a small private service will be held for immediate family only. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association of Maine, The Ark, a no-kill animal shelter, PO Box 276, Cherryfield, ME 04622 or to the Gouldsboro Historical Society. Cards may be sent to the family at 36 Nahum Jones Road, Gouldsboro, ME 04607. Arrangements under the care of Direct Cremation of Maine, 182 Waldo Avenue, Belfast.