Nancy Ruth Osborne

Nancy Osborne
Fresno broadcast journalist and television anchor
Nancy Osborne Giehl, 78 years old, a trailblazing Fresno television journalist whose trusted voice and steady presence informed Central Valley viewers for more than three decades, passed away on April 8, 2026.

Nancy devoted her professional life to telling the stories that mattered most to the people of Fresno and the San Joaquin Valley. She spent 37 years at KFSN-TV (ABC30), where she served with distinction as a reporter, anchor, producer, and newsroom leader. Joining the station in 1977, she became one of the region’s earliest women to anchor local television news, helping to pave the way for generations of journalists who followed.

A Fresno resident since 1973, Nancy grew up in a military family, living on Army bases in the United States, Japan and Turkey. She graduated from Las Cruces High School in New Mexico and later earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Speech Communications from California State University, Fresno. Shortly after graduation, she began her broadcast career at ABC30, quickly earning a reputation for integrity, compassion, and deep commitment to the community she served.

Over the course of her career, Nancy co-anchored Action News and produced and anchored the Valley’s first locally produced television news magazine program, 360. In 1996, after two decades on air, she was appointed Executive Producer of Special Projects, helping guide station coverage while continuing to report on public affairs, politics, and issues affecting children and families. She later returned full-time to reporting and co-anchored Action News Live at Five with Warren Armstrong.

Her work earned widespread professional recognition, including multiple Emmy Awards and induction into the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Silver Circle for more than 25 years of service to the Fresno television market. She also was awarded the prestigious Edward R. Murrow Award which highlight the best of local broadcasting journalism. Members of Congress publicly honored her upon her retirement, recognizing her as a local icon and a role model for women in broadcast journalism.

Beyond the newsroom, Nancy was deeply engaged in community service and charitable work throughout Central California. She was particularly passionate about serving the military community. Colleagues and viewers alike remember her not only for her journalistic excellence, but for her warmth, credibility, and unwavering dedication to public service.

Nancy retired from ABC30 in 2012 but remained an admired figure in Fresno and a lasting presence in the history of local television news.

She is survived by her husband, Rance Giehl, daughter Rachel Beyelia, son-in-law Robert Beyelia, and granddaughters Channing and Holland Gibson.

A memorial service will be announced at a later date.

We invite you to share your memories and upload photos of Nancy to the memorial page, allowing us all to remember the woman who touched so many lives. As we honor her legacy, may we also remember Nancy's own words: "We are not here to merely make a living. We are here to enrich the world." Her life was a testament to this belief, and we are all the richer for having known her.

The family request, in lieu of flowers, remembrances may be to a memorial to be announced in the coming days.