Barbara Anne Osborne Granger

Barbara Anne Osborne Granger, age 93, of Hilton Village, Newport News, VA, died peacefully in her sleep at Carteret Landing, Morehead City, NC, at 1200 on Friday, April 12, 2024, after a long battle with dementia.

Barbara, or "Bub," was born on March 13, 1931, to the late Harold Hollenback and Susan Anna Osborne, growing up in Hilton Village with her four brothers, Ted, Bill, Dick, and Albert. She graduated from St. Vincent's High School, Newport News, VA, in 1949, followed by Catholic Nurses Training at Maryview Hospital School of Nursing in Portsmouth, VA. She passed her State Board Examination at age 20, making her one of the youngest registered nurses in VA. In 1951, she joined the nursing staff of Cornell Medical Center in New York City, and then deployed in 1954 as a staff nurse with the Gulf Oil Company Hospital in San Tome, Venezuela.

On November 24, 1961, Barbara entered the United States Air Force from Morrisville, PA, as a 1st Lieutenant General Nurse, completing her Basic Orientation Course at Gunter Air Force Base, AL (1961) and Flight Nurse Course at Brooks Air Force Base, TX (1963). She was promoted to the rank of Captain on October 12, 1962. While in the Air Force, she met and married Captain Thomas Dale Granger, a Finance Officer and brilliant musician. Complying with Air Force policy at that time, Barbara was honorably discharged from Sheppard Air Force Base Hospital on March 28, 1965, when she was pregnant with her first daughter, Sarah Hollenback Granger (DeLuzio). Her youngest daughter, Martha Giddings Granger (Stewart) was born a few years later, after which Barbara and Tom divorced.

Barbara lived a spectacular life. She attained her pilot's license and flew solo flights in a Cessna 150 and traveled the world with friends (South America, England) and her daughters (Japan, Germany, Luxembourg, Trier, Austria, Switzerland, Spain, Prague, France, Italy, Bermuda, St. Thomas/St. Croix, the Netherlands). Barbara masterfully managed work and school while raising two daughters alone, both who followed in her footsteps to serve 20-year military careers in the Air Force (Sarah retiring as a Master Sergeant) and Army (Martha retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel).

Barbara received a Master's Degree in British Literature from Midwestern University, Wichita Falls, TX and taught English Literature at both Hampton University, Hampton, VA, and Thomas Nelson Community College, Newport News, VA. Upon her retirement from Thomas Nelson, she held numerous odd jobs, writing book reviews and editing for the Daily Press, running a private editing company, serving as a docent tour guide at Mariner's Museum, and narrating historic bus tours in Hilton Village. She also volunteered for the Democratic City Committee, as a poll worker, and for Friends of the Library.

Barbara is survived by daughter, Sarah [and Tony] DeLuzio of Morehead City, NC; two grandchildren, Martha DeLuzio of Lubbock, TX, and Andrew DeLuzio of Newport, NC; daughter, Martha [and Ricky] Stewart of Gloucester, VA; brother, Albert [and Nancy] Osborne; and numerous nieces and nephews.

A service will be held at a later date in Virginia.

Family and friends are welcome to submit online condolences at www.mundenfuneralhome.net.

Arrangements by Munden Funeral Home & Crematory in Morehead City, NC.