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PROVO - Marie Osmond called him "Dee-Da." Donny Osmond called him "Par-Par." Alan Osmond said that even his family's fans had a name for George Osmond: "Father."
The patriarch of Utah's most famous singing family was buried Friday after a funeral service that included as much music and laughter as tears.
George Osmond, 90, died Tuesday of natural causes in Provo. More than 100 of his relatives and hundreds more friends and mourners gathered at Oak Hills LDS Stake Center in Provo to remember him. Each of Osmond's nine children spoke during the two-hour service.
More than one remarked that their late mother Olive, who died in 2004, was now reunited in heaven with their father.
"I'm so glad he's dancing with my mother now. He's dancing in the stars," said Marie Osmond, referencing her ongoing appearance on the popular reality TV show "Dancing with the Stars." Her partner on the show, Jonathan Roberts, also attended the service.
Marie's brother, Donny, remembered his father as a good-natured disciplinarian.
"He didn't have an enemy on this planet," he said. "His influence will be felt for a long, long time to come."
The service was populated by more Osmonds than just the more-famous offspring. The chorister and the organist were Debbie and Troy Osmond, respectively. And in addition to George's children singing "I Wouldn't Trade the Silver," the group called "Osmond 2nd Generation" sang "I May Never Pass This Way Again."
As each of the children came to the podium and spoke of their father, they frequently teared up. But just as often, they would swiftly reverse and tell funny stories about their father and even trade good-natured barbs with their siblings.
Merrill Osmond confessed that he was given his father's temple suit years ago. He didn't tell his brothers, he said, although the previous evening they had looked in vain for the suit so their father could be buried in it. Donny ended up going out and buying another suit for their father.
When Donny's turn at the microphone came, he immediately looked at Merrill and said, "The first thing I want to say is: Merrill, you owe me money."
And when Marie's turn came, she looked at her brothers and told them that three years ago, when their mother died, Marie couldn't find Olive's temple clothes. "I had to buy them," she said. "I want to know which one of my brothers has [the original temple clothes.]"
But after the jokes, each sibling described the influence their father had on their lives.
Donny visited his father last weekend, he told the crowd, although the plan was that later in the week both would be in Chicago for a taping of "The Oprah Winfrey Show." (More than 100 Osmonds attended Thursday's taping, meant to commemorate the family's 50th anniversary in show business. The show was broadcast Friday.) But at the end of the visit, he tried to leave his father, who at that point could no longer speak. Donny said he sensed his father wanted him to stay. After rubbing his father's back and reminding him they would be together again soon, he finally left. He never saw his father alive again.
While the siblings shared personal memories of their stern but loving father, Thomas S. Monson, first counselor in the LDS Church's First Presidency, spoke of the impact the Osmonds had on American culture.
"I've been very proud of the Osmond family," Monson said. "They've been great missionaries . . . They are a sermon."
Osmond was buried after the service at the East Lawn Memorial Hills Cemetery in Provo.
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* DAVID BURGER can be reached at dburger@sltrib.com or 801-257-8620.