Dean Ostby

Funeral Service for Dean Lowell Ostby, 76, of Wheaton, Minnesota will be held Thursday, December 31, 2009 at 11:00 A.M. at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Wheaton, Minnesota with Rev. Thomas Olson officiating. Interment will be Hillside Cemetery, Rosholt, South Dakota. Visitation will be held Wednesday, December 30th from 5:00 P.M. until 7:00 P.M. with a 7:00 P.M. Prayer Service and Masonic Service at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church. The Ranney Funeral Home of Wheaton, Minnesota is in charge of arrangements. Dean Lowell Ostby was born on August 20, 1933 to Peter and Frances (Bisek) Ostby on the family farm near Victor, South Dakota. Dean was baptized and confirmed at the Brandvold Lutheran Church in Victor. The family moved from Victor to the Rosholt area in 1937. Dean was a true farm boy working with his dad from an early age. He attended first through eighth grade at Crawford School, enjoying these years playing with school mates, putting on programs and learning from his teachers. At age twelve, Dean who loved horses, got his first pony. He named him Smokey . Dean enjoyed riding horse with the neighbors. Dean enjoyed working hard on the farm as well as driving truck for Dahls Trucking. He also worked for the ASCS office in Roberts County and the Co-op Elevator and gas station. From 1955 until 1957 Dean served in the U.S. Army. On October 4, 1958 Dean was united in marriage to Carmen Bendickson at Grace Lutheran Church in Sisseton, South Dakota. To this union one son Timothy and one daughter Tami were born while living in Rosholt. In 1968 the family moved to Two Harbors, Minnesota. The family returned to the area moving to Wheaton, Minnesota in 1974 where they purchased the East Side Market and Laundry. The business was a family affair until its sale in 1982. Dean was then employed by the Home Bakery, Bob Beyer, REA and Dave Rinke and Sons. Dean was a member of the Traverse Masonic Lodge and the Gateway Shrine and also served as a Council Member for the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church. He enjoyed woodworking and was a self-taught clock repairman. He was a wonderful man and enjoyed spending as much time as he could with family and friends, especially his granddaughter, Emma. A special enjoyment of Deans was playing Santa Claus for the Wheaton Chamber of Commerce for many years. He was a great conversationalist and re-lived special times with those he met. Dean was well cared for by the nurses of Lakeland Hospice. Dean passed away on December 28, 2009 at his residence in Wheaton, with his family at his side. Dean is survived by his wife Carmen Lois Ostby of Wheaton, Children: Tim (Marie) Ostby of Spicer, Minnesota and Tami Ostby of Edina, Minnesota, one Granddaughter: Emma Ostby, Siblings: Betty (Lloyd) Pearson of Rosholt, South Dakota, Bonnie (Darrel) Ekstrom of Two Harbors, Minnesota and Faye (Byron) Akerson of Rosholt, South Dakota. Dean was preceded in death by his parents, one sister, Beulah Braaten and special cousin, Joe Motis.