Joanne Davis Osley

Joanne Davis Osley, 84, of Highland, IL, passed away peacefully on September 15, 2025, with her loving husband of 64 years by her side.

She was born December 3, 1940, in Lynn, Massachusetts and grew up there near family and friends, closest to her first cousin Marilyn. They talked and laughed together up in the attic, reading movie magazines, and later in their lives spoke for hours on the phone with Joanne’s New England accent heard again during those long talks.

When her father was transferred to Midland, Texas in her teenage years, Joanne and her brother were the weird kids in town with their funny clothes and funny accents, but it didn’t take long for the siblings to fit in. Joanne became a popular cheerleader and her brother a gifted athlete on the basketball court.

When it came time for college, Joanne was sent back east to attend Colby Sawyer College with cousin Marilyn, who quickly became “Mother Marilyn” trying to rein Joanne in as she found more fun outside the classroom, at Dartmouth parties nearby and in the dorm with her new friends. Joanne was permitted to move home to Midland after life as a college coed didn’t work out.

Back in Midland, Joanne was working as a secretary with Southern Natural Gas Co. and spending time with friends. One evening Joanne’s parents encouraged her to meet up with a young pilot in training at the nearby Air Force base named Noel Evans who was also from New England. She and a girlfriend were thrilled at the idea of meeting a dashing young pilot. Noel also brought a pilot friend along. Joanne wasn’t impressed with the friend, a quiet kid from California named William “Bill” Osley, but the friend was impressed with her. He saw her blue eyes that night and “just knew.” One date and one kiss were all it took. Six months later, on June 17, 1961, in a Methodist church filled with daisies, they were married and Joanne’s life as a military wife began. She took to the job with enthusiasm and soon became active in the Officer’s Wives Clubs on every base they were stationed, hosting bridge parties, mixers and cocktail parties and making many lifelong friends along the way. She was nominated two years in a row for Military Airlift Command Military Wife of the Year for her “efforts and activities in service of others” and for creating “a happier tour of duty” for many.

After a short assignment in Tampa, Florida, the young pilot and his wife’s first big adventure was in Newfoundland, Canada where they were stationed in 1962. Their first daughter Pamela came along in 1963. After long drives and numerous ferry rides, the little family traveled back to the states, eventually landing at Travis AFB in Fairfield, California. Their second daughter Kimberlee came along in 1965. When Joanne’s husband was sent to Vietnam in 1970, she took her daughters to Southern California to be near family. Most of her relatives from back east, including her parents and siblings, were in California by then and Joanne’s sister Julie lived with her during the difficult year. Joanne was awarded an Outstanding Homefront Award from the Air Force Jolly Green Giants for her “outstanding support” while her rescue pilot husband and many others fought overseas.

After Bill’s safe return, they were stationed to Hill AFB in Clearfield, Utah and the family thrived in sight of the Rocky Mountains. With so many neighbors also Air Force families, lots of gatherings, parties and barbecues were staples in the neighborhood and Joanne again immersed herself in the life of the wive’s club and her new friends. Their final Air Force move was to Scott AFB in O’Fallon, Illinois. The family found a big old Victorian in nearby Trenton, Illinois that Joanne said reminded her of growing up in New England. Bill and Joanne became involved in small town life in Trenton and made even more lifelong friends. They lived in Trenton more than 15 years. The girls went through high school there and Bill retired from the Air Force as a Lt. Colonel in 1981.

In 1988, Bill and Joanne moved to Highland, Illinois into a rambling ranch, with a wooded yard and huge deck. Their later years were spent beautifying their yard and filling it with flowers. They also spent as much time as they could with their precious grandchildren, attending games, concerts and hosting many holidays and sleepovers. Joanne especially considered this accomplishment her biggest and wanted to be called Nana, just like her beloved grandmother in Massachusetts.

Joanne’s family is losing their Nana, their mom, their best friend and confidant. She is survived by her husband Bill Osley, her daughter Pam Osley (Dennis Bland), daughter Kim Zimmermann (Jim Zimmermann), sister Julie Davis Randolph, and her five grandchildren: Caitlin Boskamp (Greg Boskamp), Lillian Voss (Sean Pierce), Tanner Zimmermann, Riley Zimmermann (Lauren Zimmermann) and Eli Bland, as well as numerous cousins, nieces and nephews and many friends. Joanne was recently blessed with two great grandsons: Harrison and Leo Boskamp.

Preceding her in death are her parents, Frank and Ruth Davis, her in-laws Joseph and Lillian Osley, her brother Robert Davis, her brother- and sister-in-law Robert and Patricia Osley Little, and an infant grandson Lukas Voss.

Memorial donations may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project.

Memorial Visitation: Thursday, September 18, 2025, from 4:00 to 7:00 pm, and Friday, September 19, 2025, from 10:00 to 11:00 am, at Meridith Funeral Home in Highland, IL

Memorial Service: Friday, September 19, 2025, 11:00 am, at Meridith Funeral Home in Highland, IL

Officiant: Richard Walker

Meridith Funeral Home, Highland, IL