Osmond goodbye: Family shares memories of father

PROVO — Four of George Osmond's sons began singing in the 1950s to raise money

for hearing aids for their two deaf older brothers.

Fifty years and 51 gold records later, the Osmond Brothers and sister Marie

have sold 77 million records. But their father had recently grown increasingly

lonely without their mother, Olive, who died three years ago.

"I'm not happy," George Osmond told his son Wayne three times in the past few

weeks.

"It just hurt my heart," Wayne said. "All three times, I prayed to Heavenly

Father he would make my father happy, and he did. He's back with my mom."

George Osmond was honored Friday during funeral services attended by nearly

500 people. He died Tuesday at age 90 of natural causes.

He had been looking forward to Thursday when he and his nine children, 53

grandchildren and 44 great-grandchildren were going to appear on "The Oprah

Winfrey Show" to celebrate 50 years of Osmonds in show business.

The family decided the show must go on in honor of George Osmond. After

taping the hourlong program in Chicago on Thursday, the entire family flew back

to Utah for the funeral. "Oprah and the Osmonds" aired Friday afternoon, less

than an hour after the family left the gravesite of the patriarch of one of

America's most famous entertainment families.

The family's continuing star power was evident on both days. On "Oprah," Marie

Osmond danced with partner Jonathan Roberts from the hit show "Dancing with the

Stars." Winfrey noted that the Osmonds are planning a reunion tour in the United

Kingdom in the spring. Tickets for the show at famous Wembley Stadium sold out