Gerry "Gert" Alene (Osburn) Hayden

Gerry “Gert” Alene (Osburn) Hayden, 83, of Sabetha, Kansas, passed away on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at the Olathe Hospice House in Olathe, Kansas.

Gert was born on April 8, 1943, in Long Beach, California, to Rolland “Ossie” Lawrence Osburn and Eunice “Euni” Aline (Allen) Osburn. When she was just nine months old, her father—who had migrated from Thurston, Nebraska, to work in the California shipyards—was drafted into the Navy following the bombing of Pearl Harbor. While he served on a supply ship in the Pacific theater during WWII, Gert and her mother stayed with family in Thurston and in Valley Falls, Kansas. Upon his safe return from the war, the family settled back in the small town of Thurston, where both of her parents had been raised.

Music and community were the cornerstones of Gert’s upbringing, a gift she inherited from her mother’s large, talented family. She carried that love of song with her throughout her youth, performing in her church choir and singing second soprano in her high school Glee Club. It was during these same school years in Nebraska that Gert discovered her lifelong passion for cheerleading. She proudly served as a cheerleader in Thurston, continued cheering when the family moved back to California for high school, and later in life came full circle by sharing that enthusiasm as a dedicated cheerleading sponsor at Sabetha High School. Her love for performing and gathering never faded, and in later years, she was a joyful fixture at the annual Allen Family reunions, singing karaoke on Saturday nights and joining in on a cappella church hymns at the Sunday morning Buckaroo Breakfast.

After graduating from high school in the spring of 1961, Gert attended Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, California, where she earned a business degree in secretarial science. Throughout her life, Gert dedicated herself to serving and caring for others. Her career included a variety of positions, from working as a stewardess for Trans World Airlines (TWA) to serving as a librarian assistant at Sabetha High School and holding several other secretarial roles. Part-time jobs that she enjoyed included managing swimming pools in Sabetha and Sun Springs and serving as an assistant manager at the local Pizza Hut. Prior to her retirement, Gert contributed her talents and dedication to Washburn University, Kanza Guidance Center, Mary Cotton Public Library, and Wenger Manufacturing, where she was valued for her positive and compassionate spirit.

Gert lived most of her life in Sabetha, where she was deeply involved in her two children's lives. She rarely missed an opportunity to show up for them, whether they were playing sports or singing in choirs. Her dedication to the youth of Sabetha continued throughout her life as she frequently attended sporting events for former students' kids, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews, always proudly decked out in the school's colors.

Gert was always one to take a road trip. She loved the freedom of the open highway to anywhere, sometimes driving several states away to help a niece move, traveling across the state for a ballgame, or sometimes just taking a drive to "check things out." Gert’s devotion to her family was further defined by her deep love for her mother. In 2017, Euni moved to Sabetha to live with Gert, allowing them to share a special closeness and companionship in their later years.

In 2025, as her health began to decline, Gert moved to an assisted living facility in Paola, Kansas, to be closer to her family. With her daughter, Erin, living just three blocks away and her son, Kyle, a short drive down the county roads, she was surrounded by daily love and care. At Homestead Assisted Living, she was loved like family. The staff's favorite things about Gert were her quick smile, her sassy comebacks, and her famously expressive looks of disagreement.

Gert was preceded in death by her parents, Rolland “Ossie” and Eunice “Euni” Osburn.

She is survived by her daughter, Erin (Chris) Capettini of Paola, Kansas; her son, Kyle (Katy) Hayden of Eudora, Kansas; her five cherished grandchildren, Payton, Julia, Meron, Gage, and Brette; her sister, Sherry (Bud) Hayden of Valley Falls, Kansas; and her brother, Larry (Connie) Osburn of Redmond, Oregon.

A visitation will be held on Saturday, July 25, 2026, at The Rustic Farmhouse, 918 Main Street, Sabetha, Kansas, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions be made in Gert’s honor to the Make-A-Wish Foundation at www.wish.org/donate by selecting the option “Dedicate this donation.” Popkess Mortuary in Sabetha is assisting the family with arrangements.