It is with great sadness that we report the passing of our dear mother Marlys Osness on Aug 4th at the age of 89. She was the selfless loving core of our family and was loved by all during her long rich life.
Marlys Irene Schmidt was the youngest of four children (Kenneth, Beverly, and Duane) born to Albert and Elbertha Schmidt. Shortly after her birth in Brown County, the family moved to a farm in Farmington Township between Langford and Groton where she grew up. The Schmidt family were devout Christians and were members of the Langford Evangelical Lutheran Church where Marlys was confirmed.
Shortly after her graduation at Langford High School, Marlys married the love of her life James (Bud) Osness who had enlisted in the Air Force. They were married in Wichita Falls, TX and the following December Jerry was born on Lackland AFB. The young family was relocated to Travis AFB in California before Bud’s discharge when they returned to the Langford area but only for a couple years of farming before Marlys and Bud returned to California. This time it was to Riverside where Marlys worked at Bourne Aerospace and Bud worked at Lily Tulip Cup Corp. During this time in Riverside, Lori and Larry were born. California proved to be too far from home and family for the young couple. They returned to Langford again to take over Davidson’s Garage in 1962.
Marlys and Bud operated Osness Garage for the next 15 years or so with Marlys doing the accounting and running the office. It was in those early years of Osness Garage that her and Bud acquired property on the north shore of Roy Lake and within a short time built a cabin there. This cabin became the family home on weekends for most of the year into the new millennium.
Following the sale of Osness Garage in the late ‘70s, Marlys took employment at Horton’s in Britton until her retirement. In ’95, Marlys and Bud sold the house in Langford, acquired their first motor home, and became Snowbirds, spending their summers at Roy Lake and winters in The South (usually Texas or Florida).
After 51 years of marriage Bud died in 2002 and Marlys sold their motor home. She took an apartment in Sioux Falls to be near her daughter Lori. A broken hip forced her to take up residence at Sundial Manor in Bristol in 2021. She is survived by their three children Jerry (Snohomish, WA), Larry (Waukesha, WI), and Lori (Watertown, SD), 10 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren.
Following interment of her remains with Bud at Hillside Cemetery east of Langford, the family is hosting a celebration of Marlys’ life at the home of Bill and Jeanne Reints on September 16, 2023 at 5:00 P.M. The Reints farm is located 2 miles south of Langford and ¾ miles east.
