Mary Lou Osborne

Mary Lou Osborne, age 92, passed away peacefully at her home on November 14. She was born on March 14, 1929, in Ardmore, Oklahoma to Ollie Mae and Walter Joseph Tribbey. She grew up during the depression in Healdton, Oklahoma, an oil field town, where her father was a pharmacist and owned the local drug store. She was the little sister to her big brother, Walter Joseph Tribbey, Jr., who was nine years older. She graduated from Healdton High School and attended the Draughon’s School of Business in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

While at Draughon’s, she met James Bentley Huff (Jim) who she married on Christmas Eve 1949. They had two sons together, James Warren Huff and Gary Bentley Huff. Mary Lou was the quintessential suburban 1960s mother raising their two sons while living in in Richland Hills, a suburb of Fort Worth, Texas. Mary Lou and Jim were married for 20 years.

Mary Lou was full of energy, in love with life, and always had her own style. After her sons were grown, she began a career as a model and started a successful high fashion clothing store called “The Lemon Tree” in Euless, Texas. The store was the hub of her social network of coworkers, customers, and vendors for many years. She loved to travel to exotic locations in search of unique items and the next high fashion trend. One of the things she enjoyed most about traveling was meeting new people, many of whom became lifelong friends. She frequently said, “A stranger is just a friend that you have not yet met.”

In 1979, she married her soul mate, Sherrod Haywood Osborne (Ozzie). They shared many interests including travel and socializing. Ozzie had six sons by his first marriage, and Mary Lou loved them as if they were her own. Mary Lou and Ozzie spent 16 wonderful years together until Ozzie passed away in 1995.

Mary Lou began painting after her retirement. She was a talented experimental abstract artist working in mixed media on paper, canvas, and silk. She was a long-time member of several artist organizations, including the Society of Watercolor Artists (2001-2016, President, Signature Member); the Trinity Arts Guild (2002-2016); the International Society of Experimental Artists (2004-2010, Signature Member); the National League of American Pen Women (2007-2019, President); the Renegade Artists (2003-2015); and the Women of Worth Shows (2009-2018). Mary Lou participated in numerous art exhibitions and won many awards. Notably, one of her most awarded paintings, Balloon Sail, was included in Journeys to Abstraction, 100 Contemporary Paintings by Sue St. John.

Because of her business acumen, she volunteered as a counselor to the Small Business Administration providing start-up advice to aspiring business owners. Mary Lou was an active member of the Hills Church of Christ, and she was a member of Mid-Cities Supporters of SafeHaven.

One of the most difficult events for Mary Lou was the death of her youngest son, Gary, in 2015. It was a terrible loss for her, and her health markedly declined after his death. In recent years, she was supported by her family and a group of loving caregivers. The family would like to thank all of them for the wonderful care they gave Mary Lou and, in particular, we would like to thank her long-term care givers Jeff, Eve, Donna, and Juliet.

Mary Lou was a loving and kind wife, sister, mother, aunt, grandmother, great grandmother and friend. She was predeceased by her husband, Ozzie, her older brother Walter, her youngest son, Gary, and her stepson, Rusty. She will be missed by many and especially by her son and daughter-in-law, Warren and Winnie; Ozzie’s family, Mike and Linda, Peter and Debbie, Scotty and Mindy, Todd and Ha, Jeff, and Cece; her nieces, Shelley and Laura; and her grandchildren Connor, Dillon, Justin and his wife, Miki, Heather, and her husband, Brandon, and Kyle; her great grandchildren, Nathan and Makenna; and her close friend, Martha.

A visitation for Mary Lou will be held Friday, December 10, 2021, from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM, and a celebration of life will be held Saturday, December 11, 2021, from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM. Both will be held at Bluebonnet Hills Funeral Home, 5725 Colleyville, Blvd., Colleyville, TX 76034.A graveside service will be held from 4:00 PM to 5:00PM. at Bluebonnet Hills Memorial Park, 5725 Colleyville Blvd., Colleyville, Texas 76034.