Fern Sides Osburn Covas

Fern Sides Osburn Covas, age 95, passed away peacefully at Broadview Senior Living of Tallahassee on February 16, 2019. Fern was born on April 8, 1923 in St. Louis, MO to the late Ernest and Adeline Sides.

Fern was known for her youthful beauty, loving spirit and great sense of humor. As a young lady, she joined a drum and bugle corps. She marched with her bugle (but never actually played it!) and met and married Jack Osburn, the drum major, who soon joined the U.S. Air Force.

Fern loved her life as a dedicated wife and mother in a traveling military family. Journeys took them to many places, including Michigan, France, Oklahoma and Alaska. Together they had three children, Jimmy, Susie and Darrell. Sadly, Jack was killed in an Air Force plane crash in 1958 in Anchorage, AK.

Afterwards, Fern moved to Jacksonville, FL to be close to her sister, June and family. With their help for five years, she worked two jobs to raise three children. She then married Navy Chief A.J. Covas who also had three children, Kathy, Steven and Mark. After traveling to Virginia Beach and Puerto Rico, she and A.J. returned to Jacksonville where they eventually retired and called it their home for 35 years. In their later years they moved to Tallahassee to be close to family.

In addition to her family, Fern loved dancing, music, game shows, her soap operas, the Atlanta Braves, Florida State Seminoles and BINGO! (Nobody knows exactly how many thousands of dollars Fern actually won playing that game!)

Fern showed patience, understanding, forgiveness and love, and her sweetness and kindness will never be forgotten.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Ernest H. and Adeline C. Sides; her sister, June V. Breeze, and husbands Jack D. Osburn and Albert J. Covas. She leaves behind her children: Jim Osburn, Sue Osburn Baker (Gene), and Darrell Osburn (Ceci); stepchildren: Kathy Anderson, Steven Covas (Patty) and Mark Covas (Teddy); 11 grandchildren, 16 great grandchildren, one great great grandchild, her niece Ellen J. Johnson and nephew Brian Stephenson.

Fern's family would like to thank the many nurses, staff and caregivers at Centre Pointe Rehabilitation, Broadview Senior Living and Big Bend Hospice in Tallahassee for their love and support during her last years of her life.

Visitation with the family will be held Saturday, March 2nd at Hardage-Giddens Rivermead Funeral Home in Orange Park, FL from 10 am until 12 noon. Graveside services will follow at adjacent Jacksonville Memory Gardens under the direction of Culley’s MeadowWood Funeral Home, Tallahassee, FL.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions can be made to Big Bend Hospice, 1723 Mahan Center Blvd., Tallahassee, FL. 32308.