Mother of Osmond Family Dies on Mother's Day

[Janice]

http://www.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/Musi....ap/index.html

Mother of Osmond family dies on Mother's Day

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (AP) -- Olive Osmond, the mother of Marie and Donny Osmond and other members of the performing family, died Sunday. She was 79.

Family spokesman Ron Clark said she died of complications from a massive stroke she suffered more than two years ago.

Her condition began to deteriorate last week and family members were by her bedside.

"She was surrounded by those who made her life worthwhile and complete," Clark said. "Many of her children were at her side. She couldn't have passed with any greater love and peace than existed in that room."

She was born in 1925 to Thomas and Vera Ann Davis in Samaria, Idaho, where her father was a principal.

She later moved to Ogden, Utah, where she was a secretary at the Adjutant General Depot. There she met George V. Osmond, the soldier she married in 1944.

Both enjoyed music. George sang and Olive played the saxophone, and they passed along their love of music to their children.

Their first two sons, Virl and Tom, developed degenerative hearing losses that affected their speech. The next four sons, Alan, Wayne, Merrill and Jay, had no signs of hearing loss and began singing close four-part harmonies as children. They performed as the Osmond Brothers, producing 34 gold and platinum records in the 1960s and 1970s.

They were later joined by Donny, Marie and Jimmy Osmond.

The family toured internationally and made numerous recordings and TV appearances. From 1976-79, Donny and Marie Osmond hosted the television program "The Donny and Marie Show," which their older brothers helped produce.

Olive Osmond is survived by her husband, nine children, 55 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services are pending.

[HootervilleFan]

Originally posted by Janice
http://www.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/Musi....ap/index.html

nine children, 55 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren.

Wow! Busy lady. R.I.P., Olive.

[PZelda]

Originally posted by HootervilleFan
Wow! Busy lady. R.I.P., Olive.

That made me laugh. My paternal grandma had 9 children too, but 7 lived (she gave birth to two kids and they died on the same day).


Wow...At least her family was there for her when she left yesterday. That's all I can say.

[*Pleasant Tomorrow*]

That's sad, right on mother's day.

[Brent88]

55 Grandchildren!!!!!!!!!!!!



That's sad, especially on Mother's Day.

[Jokerette]

That's sad, especially on Mother's Day

Agreed.

On the subject of large families, my grandfather was originally one of ten, and my grandmother was one of nine. I could never imagine having one kid let alone ten!

And 55 grandchildren? Wow!

[HootervilleFan]

Frankly, I think it's the perfect day for her to have passed. Other holidays are difficult because they involve making the entire family happy. Mother's Day is made just to remember and honor one's Mom. They were a devoted group, and I am sure every mothers's day will be spent honoring Olive. She will never have a chance to be forgotten, dying on such a memorable day. It's almost like she planned it that way...

[Cactus Jack]

Thats sad Especially since it was on mother's Day

[Mijada]

Aww That is sad. She and her husband seemed to have done a great job raising all those kids. I've never really heard anything bad about them. I know Marie had some problems with depression but I hear she is working through it. One of the boys was diagnosed with MS in the 90's. I wonder how he's doing now.

[G-Force Glockstar]

That's really sad!!

My Grandma is 83 and she has 7 kids and over 30 Grandchildren.
So it's kinda close.

But it's really sad