Pat Osbourn

Many people will remember attending the funeral of Pat at Helmdon Church. She had lived in Shortlands Close for thirty three years. Pat started her life very far from Northamptonshire; she was born in Calcutta during the war and later she and her mother and father came to England on a troop ship.

Pat grew up in Hertfordshire and London and was educated at a convent school where she was captain of sport. On leaving school she spent most of her working life in Marks & Spencer. Pat and John were married in London and moved to Helmdon in 1965. They had three children, Barbara, Robert and Elayne.

In the early years, Pat was a founder member of the Young Wives and played cricket for them. She also enjoyed playing badminton in the Reading Room.

She corresponded with her many friends around the world sending, on average, two hundred and fifty Christmas cards, most of them with a newsy letter. She was an avid reader, especially of poetry and in the last year, had begun to come out of her shell again, helping with meals at the Chapel and having joined the Brackley over fifties sports club, becoming a committed regular member.

Pat’s life revolved around her family; she saw both Robert and Elayne married and gained much pleasure from her grandchildren, Karla, Emma and Ryan.

Pat died on 29 January of a heart attack, aged fifty four years. Rest in peace, Pat. A free spirit at last.

JB

From: Talkabout Spring 1998