Shirley Louise Osbourne Mullins

Shirley Louise Osbourne Mullins, age 93, passed away peacefully on Friday, September 25, 2026, at home with her family. She was born in Elko, Virginia, on November 22,1932, the daughter of Joseph Henry Osbourne and Irene Sorensen Osbourne.

Shirley and her three siblings grew up close to each other and their family, including their grandparents who all lived nearby Richmond, VA. She attended Glen Echo Elementary School through grade six, Sandston Elementary School for grade seven, and then Highland Springs High School from grades eight through twelve. She met her future husband, John Thomas “Tom” Mullins, in eighth grade. Their first date was a hayride in high school.

She began her higher education at Virginia Intermont in Bristol, VA, achieving her Associate of Arts in Fine and Applied Art in 1953. Shirley earned a Bachelor of Arts in Education, Fine Art, and French in 1955 from Longwood College in Farmville, VA. Shirley married Tom on July 16, 1955, at First English Lutheran Church in Richmond, VA. Alongside her academic achievements, Shirley also introduced her best friend and college roommate, Lillian, to her husband’s brother, Fitzhugh, a match that turned out to be another 50+ year marriage. In 1959, she graduated with a Master of Education in Exceptional Child and Painting from University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. Shirley began her long teaching career in 1955 at Crestview Elementary in Richmond, Virginia, as a third-grade teacher, and then taught at Chapel Hill Elementary School in North Carolina.

Shirley and Tom moved to Gainesville, Florida, in 1959, where she taught at Sidney Lanier Elementary School in both special education and third grade. Her teaching career continued in Gainesville as a pioneer faculty member of Martha Manson Academy (now Oak Hall School) from 1969 to 1992, teaching kindergarten, French, and art. She continued to teach art at Idyllwild Elementary School from 1992-2000. Over her 45-year teaching career, Shirley fostered creative thinking in generations of children and imparted in them a lifelong appreciation for the visual arts. Subsequently, she remained an active member of educator organizations such as Phi Delta Kappa and was a former president of her chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma.

She and her husband were ahead of their time in many aspects of their lives and set an example of achievement, humility, and profound kindness to those around them. They were active in their communities and impacted many people’s lives for the better. Shirley’s legacy lives on through her children; she was a wonderful mother. Shirley was also an avid reader, well-traveled and quite the cook. She was incredibly fun and spontaneous and was always ready to play board games or a late-night game of cards. She was most likely wearing stripes and definitely a splash of Chanel No. 5 perfume.

Shirley and her husband Tom shared a passion for roses, and were active members of the Gainesville Rose Society, The American Rose Society and were long time American Rose Society Horticultural Judges. She and her husband were longtime active members of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Gainesville, FL, for over 50 years and remained steadfast in their faith.

Shirley was preceded in death by her husband of 60 years, Dr. John Thomas Mullins, her parents, her brother, Richard Gorn Osbourne and wife Mary Frances, brother-in-law, Richard Graves, and her brother-in-law, Arthur “Buddy” Lauterbach, Jr.

She is survived by her beloved three children and five grandchildren, Stephanie Lane Mullins (Robert Wayne Kipping and partner Beth Scheetz of Minneapolis, MN) of Gainesville; John Thomas, Jr. and wife Latty Mullins (Dr. Jennifer Murray Mullins and John Thomas Mullins, III) of Boca Raton and Hilary Mullins Green and husband Dr. Preston Tabb Green (Hadleigh Elizabeth Green and Captain Ansley Starr Green, USMC and husband Captain Matthew Fadel, USMC) of Gainesville, her sisters Joey Ann Osbourne Graves and Irene “Sis” Osbourne Lauterbach along with many nieces and nephews.

Shirley was adoringly nicknamed “Goggy” by family and many friends. Her family would like to especially thank her cherished caregivers, Betty McKnight, Kiesha McNair, and Detra Anderson.

A Graveside Service will be held at 11:00 A.M. Saturday October 3, 2026, at Washington Memorial Park Cemetery in Sandston, VA. A Memorial Service will be held at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church. The details will be announced at a later date.

For those who wish, contributions may be made in her memory to Holy Trinity Episcopal Church or the Gainesville Rose Society, 21465 NW 39th Terrace, Micanopy, Florida 32667.