Ronald Kenneth Ostman Sr.

Ronald Kenneth Ostman Sr. (Ron) was a gentle man, a loving family man who was known for his quick wit and sense of humor. Always good with his hands, Ron was a proud Air Force Veteran who in his 26 years of service worked on various planes on bases throughout the world. Ron then used his organizational and woodworking skills to manage the Design Shop at Fleetwood Enterprises. There, he also helped with their charity event for Rosie’s Kids, raising hundreds of dollars yearly. After retirement from Fleetwood, Ron chose to use his time and skills to make wooden toys to give away to local children. Each week at IHOP he handed them out. Ron was a generous, kind- hearted man who will be remembered and missed by many.

Ron Ostman was born in 1934 in New York, the third son of Oiva and Ruth Ostman. He was one of seven siblings. (He kept in touch with them and their families throughout his life.) The Ostmans regularly participated in Finnish community events. Ron danced, in costume, with fellow four and five year olds at the 1939 World’s fair. He went to a Finnish summer camp at a lake where he later worked as a counselor. Growing up, Ron had fun with family and friends in his neighborhood playing stickball. In high school he played basketball. He also enjoyed his job as a soda jerk in a drugstore.

Ron decided to join the Air Force in 1951, right out of high school. He started out as a mechanic working on planes on the flight line. While at Hanscom Field in Massachusetts, Ron met the love of his life, Marie (Docherty) at a roller rink. He noticed her smile and her grace. At a time when people rarely spoke to servicemen, he was accepted by her Scottish dad and Italian mother and the extended Italian family. It meant a lifetime of great cooking and family gatherings during the times between bases.

Ron and Marie married in 1955 and had a family of three kids, Marie, Ron Jr., and Bonnie. Ron cherished Marie and truly loved all his kids. He attended baseball and football games, dance recitals and scouting events. Special times included the Soap Box Derby and Junior Miss. He helped with math homework too. Ron and Marie welcomed their kids’ friends, chaperoned school activities, and cheered on school sports teams too. They supported their kids in all their endeavors.

As an Air Force family, they moved to wherever Ron was assigned. Ron ended up working on various planes. With each type, a move generally came. There was travel to Turkey, where Marie (who was afraid of flying) joined him with baby Marie. Time in the U.S. included bases in Delaware, California, and Massachusetts. Then to Strategic Air Command in Okinawa. The family got to join him six months later. (Marie white knuckled it, with three kids and stops at five different airports.) Ron then did a tour in Vietnam. Marie and the kids lived in Florida and got the chance to get to know the Ostman side of our family better. Ron’s next duty station was Hawaii, which we all liked. Then on, to Michigan and lastly to March AFB in Riverside where he retired in 1977 as a Master Sergeant.

Within the Air Force, Ron progressed as his skills and knowledge increased. He began contributing more and became a crew chief. After proving himself with more responsibilities on the flight line, he advanced to Job Control. He used his organizational sense and his knowledge of all working parts (including people) to make each area run efficiently. Ron enjoyed his work, enjoyed the chance to travel with his family, and was extremely proud to serve his country.

After the Air Force, Ron went to work at Fleetwood Enterprises. (He got that job because, during his interview, he designed a table for a problem space in a motorhome.) In the Design Shop he managed, Ron and his staff dealt with making design concepts into reality. They worked on numerous motorhome designs and created many that are still on the road. One motorhome even made it into a film: Jurassic Park 3. Ron was very proud of his team and their accomplishments.

Moreover, Ron was also glad to head up the production of toys for Fleetwood’s charity, Rosie’s Kids. Each year he created special items for auction. These included an intarsia flying eagle and a kaleidoscope. He organized the workshop so that all employees could contribute, from construction, to sanding, or to spraying. Like Santa and his elves, everyone’s effort was appreciated in completing the toys. Fleetwood gave Ron an award proclamation for his tireless effort. (During this time, he also built hundreds of toys for monthly Air Force Baby Showers and a Christmas Giveaway at Camp Pendleton).

All through their marriage Ron cared for Marie. She also had a generous heart and kept candy at the ready for children. All his life, Ron truly enjoyed his wood making. He built clocks, bowls, jewelry boxes, and unique things for the house. He crafted items for family and friends. He continued to make moveable wooden toys to give to kids: cars, trucks, tanks, and planes. He designed them all and made many versions of them. After Marie passed, Ron regularly ate at IHOP and continued to pass out wooden toys. (At one point, his daughters got him to work on pendants too.) Many IHOP patrons commented that they still had their toy or had passed it on to their child. It gave Ron great happiness to share his gift. The smiles he received were priceless. Even on his last day, Ron enjoyed breakfast at IHOP and passed out toys. Significantly, the last young girl noticed his Air Force cap and said, “thank you for your service”.

Ronald Kenneth Ostman Sr. lived a long and full life. He loved his entire family, all the adults and kids. He had fun with his nephews, nieces, grandchildren and great granddaughter. A kind and generous man with a good sense of humor, he will be greatly missed by those who knew him. He is survived by: daughter Marie Berman (Steve), son Ronald Ostman Jr. (Michelle), daughter Bonnie Jean Ostman, grandsons Matthew, Christopher, and Noah Ostman, great-granddaughter Claire Ostman, and numerous nieces and nephews who loved him. He has gone to join his loving wife Marie, who predeceased him. He is also predeceased by his parents, Oiva and Ruth Ostman, his siblings Richard (and wife Joan), Robert (and wife Diane), Irma (and husband James), Raymond, RuthAnn (and husband Robert), and Russell, and his grandson Mark and granddaughter Judith.

Services are being held Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025:

At Acheson and Graham Mortuary

10:40 am Visitation

11am – 12 Noon Memorial Service in the Chapel

At Riverside National Cemetery

1pm – 1:30 pm Military Service

In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Ronald Ostman may be made to :

Wounded Warrior Project (support.woundedwarriorproject.org)

OR

St Jude’s Hospital (www.stjude.org)