Jane Ilene `Janie` Osborne

Jane Ilene (Kulseth) Osborne passed away on April 19^th, 2025, peacefully in her home in Baraboo, Wisconsin.  

Janie was a class act: stylish, smart, and engaged as an educator, community leader, and friend. As a wife, mother, and grandmother she was pivotal — unwaveringly supportive and exceedingly generous. She loved to shop, play cards, read books, and relax at the beach. She relished her visits to Europe, Reno, New York City, Seattle and road trips across the US. She was a theater and movie devotee and an avid fan of the UW Huskies, Wisconsin Badgers, and Green Bay Packers. She skied, surfed, skated, swam, and danced. Of Norwegian and Swiss heritage, she lit up as she talked and giggled with her sisters.

Janie was born on June 6, 1932, in Valley City, North Dakota, to Oscar and Ilene (Hartman) Kulseth. In 1942, her family moved to Seattle, Washington. She graduated from the University of Washington with a B.A. in English Education and later (1992) earned her Master of Arts in Education from Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wisconsin. After college, she taught at the Kamehameha School for Girls in Honolulu, Hawaii. While in Hawaii, she caught the eye of her future husband, Thomas, on Waikiki Beach, while he was serving in the US Army at Fort Shafter, and they married in 1957. They soon moved to Madison, Wisconsin, where Jane taught at Franklin School, and they started a family. After Tom completed his studies at the University of Wisconsin, they moved to northern California, where they spent several years. In 1971 they moved to Baraboo, Wisconsin, Tom’s hometown. Janie resumed her career in teaching at Baraboo Senior High School, and after retiring in 1999, she and Tom managed the Devil’s Lake concessions for seven years. Although it was Tom’s origins that brought Janie to Baraboo, she also had an ancestral connection to the city. Her maternal ancestors include the Heinrich Ochsner’s, who donated the land for Ochsner Park to Baraboo.

Janie was an outstanding contributor to civic life. She was her sorority class president, a Girl Scout leader, Y Teen leader, Sunday school teacher, Forensics coach, and usher coordinator for the Al. Ringling Lively Arts series. She was a member of Trinity Episcopal Church, University of Washington Alumni Association, Alpha Chi Omega, Al. Ringling Friends, and Friends of Devil’s Lake State Park. She served on the Churchwomen United Board, Episcopal Churchwomen Board, and Trinity Episcopal Church Vestry. She was Alpha Chi Omega chapter advisor, alumni president, and Province President while residing in Sacramento. She was a member of University of Wisconsin Dames, American Association of University Women, Retired Educators Baraboo School District, Baraboo Country Club, and Baraboo Senior Center. Perhaps most notable of all was her tireless contribution to Baraboo Theatre Guild, for which she served as president, vice-president, treasurer, board member, producer, and committee chair for many productions and ultimately became an honorary life member. She and Tom were honored on the Baraboo Community wall for their contribution to innumerable civic and artistic endeavors over decades.

Janie’s cherished surviving family includes her daughters Constance Ilene Osborne, Baraboo, WI and Theresa Kay Osborne (Francis Vella), Washington, DC and her marvelous granddaughters, Adrienne Rae Hitt, Portage, WI, Stephanie Theresa Hitt, Milwaukee, WI, Olivia Miralda Osborne Vella, New York, NY, and Yana Viviana Osborne Vella, Washington, DC. She is also survived by her best friend and sister Constance Winn, Seattle, WA and sister Kay Alton, Seattle, WA, as well as other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her husband, Thomas Llewelyn Osborne, and her parents. The family would like to express its appreciation to Bristol Hospice for its outstanding care.

Visitation will take place at 10 AM followed by a service at 11 AM on April 30, 2025 at Trinity Episcopal Church in Baraboo. Memorials may be given to Trinity Episcopal Church, Baraboo Theatre Guild, or Al. Ringling Friends.