Britaine's oldest Adventist dies age 105

It is with sadness we report the death of what we believe to be the oldest Seventh-day Adventist in Britain, Mrs Irene Osborne (née Himsworth) who passed away on Wednesday, 16 January 2008.
Born on 14 January 1903, Mrs Osborne had just celebrated her 105th birthday at The Dell, Oulton Broad, Suffolk. She entered church employment as a Bible Worker in 1926 and worked as such for two years in the Scottish Mission and 22 years in the North England Conference. In 1950 she joined the team in the Voice of Prophecy at the British Union office on Stanborough Park where she gave further service until retirement at the start of 1963.


Irene was a Bible Instructor at the Voice of Prophecy when a young Valerie Pearce joined there as receptionist. They have been friends ever since. Valerie says, "She was such a lovely, warm and caring person. She was so selfless people were drawn to her." Irene brought many people to a knowledge of Christ and even in her later years continued to have a positive influence on others. Valerie states that "even when she was in her eighties the children in the church were drawn to her."


The funeral will be held on Tuesday, 5 February at 1:00 pm in the Lowestoft church, followed by the committal at Gorleston Crematorium at 2.30 pm.

[Report: Eric Lowe. Photo from her 104th birthday last year

By courtesy of Adventist News website