Lela Rose Osborne, 91

Lela Rose (Cook) Osborne passed from this life into the loving arms of Jesus on Dec. 31, 2023, after an extended battle with dementia, at the grand age of 91 years.

Lela was born Oct. 20, 1932, in Omak, Wash., the daughter of William H. and Mabel Cook. She attended schools in the Omak, Tonasket, and Oroville areas in Washington state. She married Gwendal Wayne Osborne in his hometown of Oroville on May 28, 1950. 

In 1960, a job opportunity opened up for Gwendal to work for the Spokane Daily Chronicle so with five children in tow, they bought a house in Sandpoint, Idaho. This would be Lela's home except for a few years in the early 2000s when she moved to Tonasket but she found her way back to Sandpoint. 

Lela started taking piano lessons at 8 years of age. Although she played drums while in high school, playing the piano was her passion. She played for choirs, grange dances, weddings, funerals, and any place she was asked to play. Gwendall and their six children learned to sing together as a family group. Lela was an accompanist for congregational singing at the Sandpoint Church of the Nazarene and at the Sandpoint Christian Center. A highlight for her was accompanying The Meet Christ Singers, a local Christian youth choir in the early 1970s. 

Lela had a passion for Sunday School, serving as a teacher and as a director for several years. Her lifelong morning ritual included reading from the Holy Bible while enjoying a fresh cup of coffee. Every place she lived she turned part of the yard into a gardening spot and she loved playing a good game of Yahtzee or Scrabble. Lela's favorite sayings were "There isn't a right way to do a wrong thing" and "My Bible says."

Lela was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, Leslie and Richard Cook; an infant son, Jerry; and her husband, Gwendal. She is survived by her six children, Allen (Lula) Osborne, Daniel (Kathleen) Osborne, Susan (Arden) Wagner, Tom Osborne, Shelly (Bruce) Johnson and Lisa (Tony) Kucherry; 21 grandchildren, 44 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren. 

Memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024, at the Church of the Nazarene. 

Family and friends are invited to sign Lela’s online guest book at coffeltfuneral.com.

Arrangements are under the care of Coffelt Funeral Service.