Margaret Elizabeth "Pearl" Osborne Page (1879-1943)

Pearl circa 1910

My great-aunt Margaret Elizabeth Osborne was known as Pearl. My mother absolutely adored her Aunt Pearl and talked about her all the time. Evidently the love was mutual; by all accounts, Pearl, who had no children, doted on her nieces and nephews and celebrated every little triumph in their lives and commiserated with them over every little tragedy. Pearl was also very generous. I suspect that my mother was able to have the wedding of her dreams thanks to Aunt Pearl, and I know that Pearl slipped my parents the occasional cash gift when they were struggling newlyweds.

Margaret Elizabeth Osborne,
circa 1880

Margaret Elizabeth was born in Laramie, Wyoming, on November 3, 1879. She was the first child born to my great-grandparents Maggie and Mac Osborne. She had a built-in big sister in Alma, Mac’s daughter from his first marriage. Pearl’s was followed by that of her two little 

From left clockwise: Julia, Pearl, Alma,
Georgia Osborne, circa 1890

sisters—my grandmother Julia Ella Osborne in 1881 and my great-aunt Georgia McDowell Osborne in 1885. Pearl’s dad Mac died tragically in a railroad accident right before Georgia was born. Soon after Mac’s death, Maggie, still pregnant with Georgia, moved the family to Silver Plume, Colorado, where Maggie’s mother and sister were living. Eventually the family moved to Los Angeles to start a new life.

As I’ve written before, the Osborne sisters were extremely close throughout their lives. They all married but continued to live close to each other—all the better for the many joyous family gatherings, usually at Alma’s house.

Maggie Osborne, Pearl and Ralph Page,
circa 1925

Pearl married Ralph Page in 1916 when she was 37. I don’t know much about their relationship, but from what I know about Uncle Ralph, I’m not sure he made Pearl very happy. He was known to have a roving eye—particularly for the young girls—which must have been a terrible trial for Pearl. I have no doubt that she knew. Perhaps I’m imagining it, but in the later pictures of Pearl, I see a tinge of sadness, like a passing shadow on a sunny day. She certainly never let on anything about what burdens she might have carried. Her letters to my mom, as the years went by and my physical distance intervened, are filled with expressions of love for her family and an abiding faith in God’s blessings in her life.

Pearl died of breast cancer on July 3, 1943. I’m sure the family mourned deeply at the loss of their beautiful sister and aunt. I think the world was a better place for her having been in it for 63+ years, my dear Aunt Pearl of the sweet countenance.