Virginia Pledger Osburn passed away on Tuesday May 4, 2021 after a two-month long illness. Ginny was born in Cedartown, Georgia in 1926 to John Lewis Pledger and Bessie Potts Pledger. She was the youngest of five siblings: Asa, Pauline, Irene, and Johnny, and was the last survivor of her brothers and sisters. She graduated from Cedartown High School and attended North Georgia College in Dahlonega. While there, she met her future husband, Al Osburn. Ginny and Al were married in a double wedding with her sister Irene and Vernon Bales on September 4, 1946. Ginny worked as a secretary while Al completed his degree at Georgia Tech. Al’s career with John Deere Company took them to places throughout the southeast where they raised their two girls: Columbus, Georgia; Live Oak, Florida; Monroeville, Alabama; Lakeland, Florida, Albany, Georgia and three separate moves to Atlanta. In 1968, they moved to Dunwoody. Ginny remained a resident of DeKalb County for the remainder of her life.
Ginny was a devoted member of Wieuca Road Baptist Church for 53 years. Her Christian faith was central to her life and myriad volunteer efforts. She was a fixture in Wieuca's nursery on Sunday mornings for decades. For many years, she volunteered at the Georgia Mental Health Institute on Briarcliff Road. She served as a volunteer receptionist at Wieuca until age 94, stopping only due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ginny and Al traveled extensively after his retirement, taking trips to national parks and on cruises to Europe with friends and their daughter, Betsy. After Al’s passing in 2002, she continued traveling with her daughters and granddaughters, enjoying visits to California, Arizona, New Mexico, Maine, France, and the Florida Keys.
Ginny had a wonderful circle of loyal friends, the Loose Group, who have continued to meet regularly, even as they all reached their 80’s and 90’s. The group enjoyed years of monthly bridge games, annual birthday luncheons, and countless book discussions. Ginny was always eager to find a foursome for bridge and was an avid reader all her life.
Ginny was a world-class grandmother to her two granddaughters, extensively involved in their lives up to the end of hers.
Ginny is survived by her daughters, Susan Ohlson of Missoula, Montana, and Betsy Broussard (Don) of Atlanta; granddaughters Aimee Broussard and Courtney Walker (David) of Decatur; and niece Peggy Pledger Hansen of Brevard, North Carolina. She is also survived by her beloved cat, Lady.
Memorial Services will be held at 11am, Thursday May 13, at Wieuca Road Baptist Church, 3626 Peachtree Rd. NE, Atlanta, GA 30326.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be given to Wieuca Road Baptist Church or Paws Atlanta.
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