Beryl Elaine Clarestine Osbourne

Beryl Elaine Clarestine Osbourne, nee Worrell, age 97 1/2, of Washington, DC, passed away at home on Sunday, February 12, 2023. She was affectionately known as Ms. Elaine, Mummy, Granny, Grans, Great Grans, Aunt Elaine, and Mums. Elaine was born on June 24, 1925 in the parish of St. Michael, Barbados, West Indies to the late Philip and Florence Worrell. She often spoke of her strict yet loving parents, and her growing up years with them and her four siblings: Victor Garfield Montgomery Worrell, Muriel Juanita Talma (Worrell), Lionell Wilfred Worrell, and Carl Vincent Worrell - all deceased.

Elaine graduated from Queens College, Barbados, and afterwards lived in various locations across the West Indies for several years. During her time in St. Lucia, she met and married Julien Eric Osbourne. In 1949, they became the proud parents of a beautiful baby girl, Susan Juanita Osbourne, now deceased.

Elaine immigrated to the USA in 1978, where she helped to raise her two granddaughters, Tiana and Erika Symmonds. Elaine also worked as a dental assistant in the dental offices at the Rikers Island correctional complex for almost 12 years.

In 1990, Elaine retired and soon began babysitting the children of close family friends, including Jessica Phillips, granddaughter of her best friend, Edrith Gumbs. Until Edrith passed away in 2015, Edrith and Elaine checked in on each other daily, making sure that they both took their medication, and that neither one missed a good Oprah show. They both loved to cook and they frequently fed each other’s families. Elaine was famous for her Bajan black cake, fishcakes, sorrel and ginger beer.

In Elaine’s handbag or the table beside “her chair” one could always find word-find books, pens, her latest chosen novel, and a beret for her head. She always said the word-find books “keep your brain active.” Elaine loved playing Solitaire and competing with the contestants on her favorite TV shows: Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy. Elaine loved to shop at the mall and was known for buying Christmas gifts as early as January for the next season. She was a jokester, who always kept her family on their toes. She loved jewelry, and would wear fashionable, dangling earrings at all times.

Elaine had an indomitable spirit, and she was able to meet her many physical challenges head on. She persevered through congestive heart failure, two rounds of COVID-19, two strokes, dual knee replacement surgery, a spinal cord complication, and Guillain Barre Syndrome, an autoimmune disease. In 2005 when the doctors told Elaine she would not walk again, she said, “not according to my God.” Through rehab, physical and occupational therapy, her resilience shone through for all to see. At age 80, Elaine learned to brush her teeth again, comb her hair, feed herself, put on her own clothes, and not only walk but also climb stairs to enter her Brooklyn home with her beloved daughter, Susan. Unfortunately, her beloved, only child, Susan passed away in August 2007.

During her years in New York, Elaine became a cherished member of an extended community of family and friends, including Fenimore Street United Methodist Church members, Central Brooklyn Lions Club, of which Susan was a member, and neighbors throughout East Flatbush. She became a beloved mom and granny to many.

Following Susan’s passing, her granddaughter Erika became Elaine’s primary caregiver, and in the Fall of 2014 Erika, Elaine, Elaine’s granddaughter-in-law Sunu, and her great granddaughter Satya moved to Washington, DC. At home, Elaine was well loved and cared for by her family and longtime health aides: Beza Tedesse, Rita Ozuruigbo, and Alem Adnew. Her aides learned to cook her favorite foods, and so Elaine continued to enjoy fish cakes and coucou, while watching her favorite shows and movies including Sound of Music, Sister Act I and II, and I Love Lucy. Elaine remained alert, aware, and active, and in fact walked in her home, using a walker, until her last day.

During her eight years in Washington, DC, Elaine became a beloved attendee at the Genevieve N. Johnson senior day care center, the IONA Wellness and Arts Center, and All Souls Church, Unitarian. During her occasional hospital stays at Sibley to address her congestive heart failure, Elaine became honorary grandmother to many hospital staff.

Sunday, February 12, 2023, Elaine peacefully passed away because of natural causes including her weakening heart.

Elaine is survived by her granddaughters Tiana and Erika Symmonds; her granddaughter in-law

Sunu P. Chandy; her great granddaughter Satya Symmonds Chandy; her grand nieces and nephews Isala, Negus, Makonnen and Metasebia Talma; her godson Tyrone Sutherland and his siblings Roger, Heather, Norman, Aidan, Sharon, and Algernon Sutherland; her bonus children Patricia Henry, Lorraine and Oakley Brathwaite, Wendy Gamble, Clement Osei, Mary Zulu, Sandra and Trevor Phillips, their families and many many more loved ones. Elaine was the aunt of the late Francis Augustus Carl Talma, also known as Ras Iral Jabari, of Barbados.

A viewing and funeral service will be held for Elaine Osbourne at Union Funeral Home, 1600 Stuyvesant Avenue, Union, NJ 07083 on Wednesday, February 22, 2023. The viewing starts at 10:00AM, leading into the funeral service starting promptly at 11:00AM. Entombment will follow at the Hollywood Memorial Park and Cemetery, Union, New Jersey.

Elaine loved plants and flowers, and you may donate a tree in her honor or contribute flowers for the service. To do so, visit the Union Funeral Home website, search Elaine Osbourne, and click Send Flowers or Plant Trees. Please do so in a timely manner to ensure they are delivered in time for the services on Wednesday morning February 22nd. You are also invited to contribute monetary funds in Elaine’s honor that will be given with our immense gratitude to her beloved caregivers. If you wish to contribute, please send donations by the end of February by Venmo to @Sunu-Chandy.

Please enjoy the photo tribute below, produced by our cousins of https://thezulus.work/.