A family’s connection to Clifford Craig comes full circle
Beryl and John Osborne (both Order of Australia medallists, pictured right), with Vanessa Cahoon, Rebecca Welsh and Dr George Razay at Clifford Craig Foundation’s Research Showcase.
The story of Winifred (Winnie) Edna Wing (née Forsyth) and her daughter Beryl Osborne spans nearly a century of Tasmanian history. It is a story woven with resilience, quiet determination, community spirit, and a legacy of giving that continues into the present day.
Early roots: Winnie’s upbringing in Northern Tasmania
Winnie was born in Northern rural Tasmania, into the well‑known Forsyth family. Her father worked as a farrier; an essential and respected trade in rural Tasmania. The family later moved to Invermay, where Winnie completed her schooling and began work at Crabtree’s shop on St John Street, becoming a familiar and trusted face in the community.
In 1935 she married and moved to Stanley, a close-knit coastal town where she embraced community life. She loved dancing, friendships, and the sense of belonging that came with small‑town living.
A young mother’s fight against cancer
Life changed dramatically when, at just 29 years old, Winnie was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her daughter Beryl was only three. Determined to survive for her child, Winnie received radiotherapy at Launceston General Hospital under Dr Clifford Craig, a pioneer of cancer treatment in Tasmania. She was one of four women in the state treated with this emerging therapy at the time, the youngest, and the only one to survive.
The radiation placed her cancer in remission but left her without the use of her right arm. Still, she returned to Stanley with determination, focused on raising her lively daughter.
“She had an active three‑year‑old to live for!” Beryl later said.
Community as a lifeline
With Beryl’s father working away Monday to Friday on the railways, Stanley’s community became an essential support network. Beryl, an energetic child and frequent escape artist, spent her early days exploring the seaside, especially the beach at the foot of the Nut.
In 1941, Beryl moved to Launceston to begin school. Early the following year, her father Clem was sent to Queensland on a three‑year secondment. Nearby family offered constant companionship, and Winnie’s home in Mowbray Heights became a busy hub where relatives from the countryside often stayed while visiting Launceston.
Despite her disability, Winnie remained independent, active in her church, and known for her generous cooking at community events.
Beryl’s ambition in a changing era
Beryl stayed at home until age 17, when she earned a scholarship to the University of Tasmania to train as a primary school teacher. Her mind was drawn to numbers and business.
“My brain worked with numbers,” Beryl said.
Yet, “the times were against her,” as women were encouraged toward cooking, domestic subjects, or junior teaching. Still, Beryl persuaded Education Department officers to let her begin an Accounting degree, alongside studies in commercial law.
After three years of full‑time teaching, she stepped into bookkeeping as the YMCA’s Bookkeeper in Hobart.
“I loved it!” she recalled.
It was at church in Hobart that Beryl met John Osborne. They married in 1958, and soon welcomed Craig (1959) and Stephen (1961). The family moved to George Town in 1961, where Beryl immersed herself in community life helping establish the YMCA George Town, participating in sports, church, and local groups.
Family life, teaching, and a growing community presence
Throughout the 1960s, Beryl’s parents frequently helped with the children, until 1965, when Winnie passed away at age 57, having lived nearly twice as long as predicted after her cancer diagnosis.
Beryl and John welcomed their daughter Cathryn in 1967. When Cathryn was four, Beryl returned to teaching at George Town High School, focusing on shorthand, typing, and commerce. She later completed her full teaching certificate and even stepped into university lecturing, helping replace the swiftly retiring shorthand/typing instructors of the era.
Over the course of her career, Beryl taught at every level of education, retiring in 1990.
Acts of gratitude and legacy
When Beryl’s grandparents passed away, their home was left to the extended family member. Years later, when the proceeds of the house were divided among relatives, Beryl chose to donate her entire share to the Clifford Craig Foundation in the early 1990s. It was a deeply personal act one honouring the doctor who had saved her mother's life decades earlier.
Illness, recovery, and renewed community service
In 1999, Beryl was diagnosed with breast cancer, caught early through an IBIS scan. She underwent a right breast mastectomy and lymph node removal, meaning chemotherapy and radiation were not required. She recovered well and remained on medication post‑surgery.
In 2004, she faced uterine cancer, received a hysterectomy, and returned once again to her active life.
By this time, Beryl and John had seven grandchildren.
“Every second Christmas is very busy at our house!” she laughed.
Over recent years, the Osbornes have supported of the Christmas Appeal. Instead of giving presents, John often explains to their family that he and Beryl now make a donation to the Appeal on behalf of the entire Osborne family, with full support from their children and grandchildren.
Beryl has remained closely involved in community life, serving as Treasurer for several community groups, applying her numerical skill and reliability to support causes she cares about.
Beryl Osborne OAM celebrates her 90th birthday in 2026.
A family legacy continues to grow
Today, Beryl and John enjoy the company of their grand children and six great‑grandchildren. Cathryn now lives in Melbourne, where Beryl will celebrate her 90th birthday, joined by her Tasmanian‑based sons and their families.
The Osborne family story continues to flourish, rooted in resilience, faith, generosity, community spirit, and the enduring legacies of both Winnie and Beryl.