Charlotte Osterburg

            Charlotte Ohlmer Osterburg, formerly of Columbus, GA, died peacefully on Thursday, December 25^th, in Largo, FL. A celebration of her life is planned at St. Matthew Lutheran Church on Macon Road in Columbus, Georgia, at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 17^th, 2009.
 
Mrs. Osterburg was born on February 18, 1923, in Celle, Germany, daughter of Karl Boening and Auguste Charlotte Junghans Ohlmer. She graduated from the Kaiserin Augusta Victoria Oberlyceum for Girls. After World War II, she worked as a secretary and interpreter for both the American Air Force and the British Army. Mrs. Osterburg immigrated to the United States in 1957 with her two daughters, Gabriele and Constance. She retired from Civil Service in 1988 after 25 years of service. Her last position was as Programs Officer of the International Student Training Detachment at Fort Benning, Georgia.
 
            Mrs. Osterburg was a staunch advocate of people learning different languages and bridging cultural boundaries to promote understanding. She was made an honorary lieutenant colonel by Governor Joe Frank Harris for her community service to promote intercultural understanding in Columbus, served on the Mayor’s Commission for Interculture in Columbus, and was a foreign language judge for many years for the Page One Award. Mrs. Osterburg was also an honorary member of the Swiss Fort Benning Club, formed by a group of officers who had trained at Fort Benning. She was inducted into the Club in Switzerland in 1995. Mrs. Osterburg was the first woman member of the Greater Columbus Kiwanis Club and chair of its International Committee, as well as an honorary Gracious Lady of Georgia. She taught classes on cross-culture to teachers and other members of the community and served as a judge at various foreign language fairs and events in area high schools and at Columbus State University. Mrs. Osterburg was honored by many civic clubs in Columbus, including being named Woman of the Year by Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. She was one of the founders of the Alliance Francaise, which continues to flourish to this day.
 
Mrs. Osterburg’s proudest achievement was attaining American citizenship in 1962. She was a fervent ambassador of this country and her adopted hometown of Columbus to the many foreign students with whom she came in contact through her job at Fort Benning.
           
Mrs. Osterburg is survived by her daughters, Gabriele (Gaby) Osterburg Azhar and Constance (Connie) Osterburg Hardwick of Largo, FL; son-in-law William Scott Hardwick; grandson John Matthew Hardwick of Crawfordville, FL; and granddaughter Alia Noor Azhar Teetshorn and grandson-in-law Matt Teetshorn of Southern Pines, NC. Mrs. Osterburg is preceded in death by grandson Christopher Scott Hardwick.
 
            In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Charlotte Osterburg Foreign Language Scholarship Fund at Columbus State University, Attn: Dr. Kayron Laska.