Lilli Lennea Osberg

(nee Johnson) Passed away peacefully on January 16, 2023, at the age of 93.

 Lilli was born in Shaunavon, Saskatchewan, Canada on March 11, 1929, and lived on a small farm with her family until she was 17. She was the oldest of 5 children, whose parents had immigrated to Canada from Finland and Sweden. Swedish was their first language.  Lilli and her siblings did not learn English until they started attending school. In order to get to school, Lilli and her siblings really did have to walk 3 1/2 miles each way. Mom would say that if they were lucky, their Pop would hitch the horses up to the wagon and take them to school. There was no electricity or running water — except for a hand pump — on the farm. The outhouse had five “seats” so Lilli and her siblings would all go together to sit there and sing songs until their Mum called for them to come inside. Lilli’s children would later say to her “you really lived like Little House on the Prairie”, to which she would reply “I’m not that old!” 

 Lilli moved to Vancouver, British Columbia at the age of 17, with her sister Liz, to work as a telephone operator. Her other sisters joined them in Vancouver and they all enjoyed going to dances at the Swedish Hall. Lilli married and eventually found her way to Denver, Colorado in 1963. She was very proud of becoming a US citizen in 1969. 

 Lilli and her family moved around the states many times and she spent her final years in Wisconsin raising a family. Lilli was not able to finish high school in Canada, as she attended a one-room school house which ended after grade 10. This always bothered her so when her children were small, she finished her GED and went on to earn an Associate Degree from MATC. She learned to swim as an adult as well. She retired from the Wisconsin Gas Company in 1994.

 Lilli was proud to be a working mother. She enjoyed reading and her love of books was evident to anyone who knew her well. She had read most of the many, many books she owned. She loved doing crossword puzzles, traveling, playing bridge, and participating in book club discussions. Lilli liked her shows and you knew not to call at 6:30 PM because Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune, or Murder She Wrote might be on. Her greatest joys in life were her children, their spouses, and grandchildren. Spending time with family made her very happy. 

 She is survived by her sister Elizabeth (Fred) Menard and her children, Inger (Tony) Mescher and Erik (Linda) Osberg. Cherished grandma of Lauren and Andrew Mescher. Further survived by many nieces and nephews. 

 Predeceased by her parents John and Frida (Sjolund) Johnson, her sisters Elsie (John) Bouchard, Sonja Fortney, and her brother Bertil (Marge) Johnson. Also predeceased by her ex-husband Erik, and relatives, Sven-Erik and Britta Viklund of Uppsala, Sweden.

 Thank you to Froedtert Hospital, Preceptor Hospice, and Brenwood Assisted Living for their care during Lilli’s final months. Special thank you to Dr. Sam Idarraga and his staff for their care of our mom.

If you desire, donations can be made to your favorite library or literacy charity, or immerse yourself in a good book. 

 Private Family Services Held.