Ralph K Ostrom Jr.

Ralph K. Ostrom, Jr.

IRMO -– Funeral services for Ralph K. Ostrom, Jr., will be held at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, April 9, 2014 at Virginia Wingard Memorial United Methodist Church, 1500 Broad River Road, Columbia, SC with interment to follow at Bush River Memorial Gardens with full Masonic Rites. Visitation will be in the Welcome Center prior to the service starting at 1:00 p.m.

Mr. Ostrom entered into eternal rest on April 5, 2014 after several years of declining health. Ralph was born on November 12, 1943 in Goldsboro, NC to the late Captain Ralph K. Ostrom, Sr. and Alice Koonts Ostrom.

He is survived by his wife of 21 years Elizabeth Stover Ostrom; daughter, Julie Burnett (Jay) of Greenville and son, Ken Ostrom, III (Amy) of Moncks Corner; sister, Ralice Gertz of Greensboro, NC; half-brother, Ken Ostrom (Sue) of Kansas City, MO; brother-in-law, Kendal McDill (Peggy) of Meridian, MS and grandchildren, Jake, Emma, Sydney Burnett and Bishop Ostrom.

Ralph graduated from High School in Lenior, NC. received a BA degree from Erskine College, a Master’s Degree from Clemson and his PhD degree from Suffield University of London England. He also attended USC and was a fan of both Clemson and Carolina. Ralph served as a Captain in the U.S. Army in Viet Nam. Through a long and distinguished career, Ralph served as Principal of Blake Elementary School in Greenwood, SC and worked with the SC Department of Education as a Coordinator of Federal Grants to SC public schools, worked with the SC department of mental Health, served as a SC Commissioner for AmeriCorps working with young people across the nation where one of his proudest moments occurred when he had the opportunity to introduce President and Mrs. H.W. Bush to the South Carolina delegation during the 1997 President’s Summit for America’s Future in Philadelphia.

Ralph was always active in church in the community in which he lived and held various leadership positions. He was a member of Virginia Wingard Memorial United Methodist Church where he has served on the Church Council, Finance Committee, taught the Buddy Richardson’s Men’s Bible Class and served as a Lay Delegate to the SC Annual Conference.

The family expresses gratitude to the Doctors and staff of Lexington Medical Center and Agape Hospice House as well as their church family and many friends. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Virginia Wingard Memorial United Methodist Church, 1500 Broad River Road, Columbia SC 29010.