Mary Belle Osman Morgan
Mary Belle Osman Morgan, 94, of Dongola, died Saturday, March 17, 2018, at her home.
She was born the second child of three children on Dec. 13, 1923, the daughter of Ellis and Iva Penrod.
She married Leland Elmer Osman. He preceded her in death on Jan. 25, 1974, and together they had three sons, Robert L., Ronald E. and Edward E. Osman.
She later married Harold Morgan. He preceded her in death in 2001 and she was the stepmother to Larry Morgan and Ron Morgan.
She graduated from Dongola High School in August 1941. She was the owner and agent of Dongola Insurance Agency and the co-owner and operator of the Dongola Roller Rink and Dongola Texaco cafe. She was the secretary and accountant for Osman Produce Inc.
She was co-founder of the Dongola Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi and the Dongola Homecoming and a participant every year until 2017. She was a member of the Red Hat Society, the First Baptist Church of Dongola and a member of Friendship Baptist Church Cemetery board.
She enjoyed 94 years of life and through her activities and actions she positively affected the lives of hundreds, if not thousands, of Dongola and area residents.
Whether she was dressing in period costumes for a parade or as Mother Goose to read to grade school children, she was never without a smile or kind word. She routinely baked and delivered thousands of cakes, cookies and pies to people at holidays, in times of grief or just a cake to cheer you up.
She called her family together before passing and told them “Do not shed any tears over me as I have had a good life, a loving family and I love you all, but it is time for me to go home to see the Lord and Shawna.” She would have said the same to all her friends. Her greatest eulogy is her family, her lifetime of good works and her thousands of friends.
The family thanked Judy Cohin, Residential Hospice, Kyle and Cynthia Kern and Brenda Hogue for the tender and loving care given to Mary Belle.
She is survived by her sons, Robert L. Osman (Lorene) of Dongola, Ronald E. Osman (Michelle) of Marion and Edward E. Osman (Diane) of Springfield; friend Brenda Hogue (Mary Belle called her the daughter she never had); a brother, Dorris Penrod of Dongola; stepsons Larry Morgan and Ron Morgan; five grandchildren, Mark Osman of Marion, Kelly Johnson of Dongola, Blane Osman of Marion, Christina Blake Deitrich of Goshen, Ky., and Chris Osman of Los Angeles, Calif.; seven great-grandchildren, Olivia Osman of Marion, Owen Osman of Marion, Loreli Deitrich of Goshen, Ky., Ronin Deitrich of Goshen, Ky., Aubrey Fenton of Herrin, Corbin Johnson of Dongola and Callie Osman of Marion; nieces and nephews Audrey Hartline, Evelyn Maxwell, Ted Osman, Janet Lingle, Roger Lingle, Pam Ferguson, Cynthia Kern, Terry Osman, Janet Davis, Ann Van Loon, Jim Kaufman, Debbie Witlow and Beth Horvath.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Leland E. Osman; her husband, Harold Morgan; a granddaughter, Shawna Osman; a sister, Marella Kaufman; and a nephew, Jerry Osman.
Funeral services were at 1 p.m. Wednesday, March 21, at the First Baptist Church of Dongola, with the Rev. LaRue Parr officiating. Interment followed in Friendship Baptist Church Cemetery.
Memorials can be made in Shawna Osman’s name or Mary Belle’s to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, 1972 Inner Belt Business Center, St. Louis, Mo., 63114 or online at www.lls.org; or to the Friendship Baptist Church Cemetery, P.O. Box 118, Dongola, Ill. 62926.
Crain Funeral Home in Dongola was in charge of arrangements