In Memory - Joan Audrey Mellin Osgood
(Joan - riding Tarryall Maestro at Monnington Court, England)
On Friday morning, March 4, 2022, popular Grafton County 4-H leader, globetrotting and local soprano with the North Country Chorus and Pine Hill Singers, author of “A Pony for Audrey,” and Morgan horse enthusiast, Joan Audrey Mellin Osgood passed in peace at Cottage Hospital in Woodsville, NH. Born September 22, 1934, to Kenneth Bertrand Mellin and Marjorie Amelia Bates, Joan was surrounded by loved ones during her final moments.
Joan grew up in the small town of New Canaan, CT, and at age seven she attended Spruce Mountain equine camp in upstate New York where her lifelong love of horses first blossomed. In 1951 she moved with her family to Piermont, NH, entering Bradford (VT) Academy as a junior where she met a handsome young man in her class named Dean Osgood, who she would marry in 1956. After graduating from Bradford Academy, Joan and Dean both attended the University of New Hampshire (UNH) where Joan studied Occupational Therapy and as an elective attended a class that focused on the Morgan horse breed.
At UNH Joan worked in the school’s riding and training programs, and in the summer after freshman year, she brought home to Piermont two-year-old May Star, her first Morgan horse. Shortly after her marriage to Dean on September 9 1956, they moved to Winchester, MA, where eldest son Richard was born, then to Bennington, VT, where Wendy, Chris, Mark, and Heidi, were born in that order. In 1971 the family moved to the Mellin family home in Piermont where her work with horses, music, and young people would further blossom.
As leader of the Rocking Horse 4-H Club, Joan shared her love of horses with everyone and anyone who wanted to learn, dedicating forty-two years to young people associated with the Grafton County 4-H learning equine science, for which she received the Sapphire Clover award and the Commissioners Award for Excellence. In tandem with her sister, Jeanne Mellin Herrick, the two lovers of Morgan horses helped introduce the breed to England following an invitation in 1978 by Angela Connor Bulmer of Monnington Farm. They made over two dozen trips to England over the years and one trip to Sweden instructing young and old riders alike on the unique style and techniques of this versatile and distinguished breed.
Side-by-side with Dean she shared her love of music with the world, from Piermont to Poland and many points in between. In addition to concerts in Europe and the annual Madrigal Dinner with the North Country Chorus, Joan was a part of The Christmas Revels in Hanover, NH, and spent many years singing with The Pine Hill Singers
Joan worked at Dartmouth Hitchcock when it was still in Hanover NH; Alice Peck Day Memorial Hospital in Lebanon, NH; and Little Rivers in Bradford, VT. She spent many years substitute teaching at local elementary schools, but mostly at Piermont Elementary where she taught health, music, physical education, and everything in between.
She is best remembered for her contagious smile, knee-high socks with shorts, oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, morning reveille on school days, chicken and dumplings, miniature golf, pointing out and proclaiming cloud animal shapes, further pointing out the “Wow! Wow! Wow!” blue sky, ice box cake, figure skating on frozen ponds, wild clanking of the dinner bell, and spontaneous breaking-into of song in harmony with her beloved Dean.
Joan is predeceased by her husband, Dean; her sister, Jeanne; and her brother Donald. She is survived by her children Richard Osgood and wife, Zibute of Cincinnati, OH; Wendy Osgood Soucy and husband Dave of Hamilton, NY; Chris Osgood of Thornton, CO; Mark Osgood and wife Lisa of Ault, CO; Heidi Osgood Metcalf and husband Asa of Piermont, NH; grandchildren Nicholas Osgood, Brennan Osgood, Jason Ayotte, Carley Ayotte Medina, Audrey Osgood, Sam Soucy; great-grandchildren Lilliana, Aiden, Deirdre, Charlie, Ella, Melody, Luna.
Funeral services open to the public will be held at the Piermont Church, 101 Church Street, Friday, May 27 at 2:00 PM to be followed by a celebration of Joan’s life.
Donations may be made in lieu of flowers:
Grafton County 4-H Leaders Association. Checks can be made payable to the “Grafton County 4-H Leaders’ Association” and sent to UNH Extension, Attn: Grafton County 4-H, 3855 Dartmouth College Highway, Suite 5, North Haverhill, NH 03774.
North Country Chorus. Donation link here - https://www.northcountrychorus.org/donate Home page here - https://www.northcountrychorus.org/dbpage.php?pg=home
Horse Meadows Senior Center. c/o Maureen Lynn Platt-Russell, Director, 91 Horse Meadow Road, North Haverhill, NH, 03774 Tel.: 603 787-2539
Pine Hill Singers. Checks can be made payable to Pine Hill Singers” and sent to 434 Harriman Rd., Dalton, NH 03598
Obituary courtesy of Ricker Funeral Home, Woodsville, NH.