Elwood (Woody) Ostrom 1936-2016

Elwood (Woody) Edwin Ostrom, age 80, died peacefully on October 2nd, 2016. Woody was born in Douglas, North Dakota on May 11, 1936, the 3rd of 7 children to Alice and Tom Ostrom. Following many Midwestern Norwegian families, they moved to Woodburn, Oregon in 1938. He graduated from Woodburn High School in 1954, enlisted in the Army and returned home in 1957 having achieved the rank of Sergeant. He received his bachelor's degree from Mt. Angel College and a master's degree from Willamette University. In addition to a 26 year teaching career in history with the Lake Oswego School District he also invested in real estate. After his retirement he focused on traveling and exploring many parts of the world. He loved everything about the outdoors: scuba diving, hiking, skiing, mountain biking, camping, fishing and hunting. Due to his love of history he never stopped studying and sharing all of his experiences with his friends and family that left lasting memories. Woody was a fearless adventurer, patient to the end, and appreciated the smallest things that nature and society had to offer. He will be painfully missed by his spouse, best friend, and companion of 55 years, Patricia; his son Brian (Toni) Ostrom, daughter Kimberly (David) Hoy, grandchildren: Keaton Hoy, twins Jonathan and Scott Ostrom, Lauren Hoy, and Julia Hoy. He is also survived by his sisters': Sharon (Paul) King, Dolly (Dick) Murphy, and Dora Ann (Keith) Dodson. He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Derwin and Ed Ostrom, and his sister Janis Vail. There will be a recitation of the rosary at 10am followed by a Funeral Mass at 11am, Friday, October 7, 2016, at St. Francis Catholic Church in Sherwood, Oregon. He will be laid to rest in Willamette National Cemetery.