A memorial service and gathering to celebrate the life of Everett L. Ostlund will take place at 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28, at Wilkeson Eagles Aerie 1409. All family and friends are invited. The memorial will be followed by a potluck luncheon at the Eagles, 435 Church St. in Wilkeson
He died the morning of Monday, Jan. 16, 2017, at the age of 98.
He was born July 22, 1918, on a farm near Wadena, Minn., to the late Charlie and Myrtle Ostlund. He graduated in 1937 from Verndale High School, then farmed and drove a milk truck from farm to farm. He met his future wife, Eleanor Jasmer, while on his milk route. They were married in Bartlett Lutheran Church on Oct., 25, 1941, and marked 75 years of marriage last October.
He continued to farm until the family moved to Carbonado in 1946. He got a job with the Saint Paul and Tacoma Lumber Company and worked at sites near Mount Rainier National Park south of Carbonado. He was badly injured on the job and spent several months in St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tacoma recuperating. Later, he worked for Mount Rainier Ordinance at Fort Lewis. He also dabbled in gunsmithing before he went to work for Boeing as a machinist. He retired from Boeing in 1983 after having been with the company for 32 years.
In retirement, he and his wife explored the United States extensively for two years. He spent considerable time walking which eventually led to mountain climbing. He climbed all the major peaks in Washington state with the exception of Mount Rainier, although he did make it Camp Muir on the Paradise side of the mountain. For about a dozen years he and his wife spent time in Yuma, Ariz. Back in Carbonado, he restored a 1939 LaSalle Convertible Sedan which he took to many events. He drove the Buckley Senior Center’s King and Queen in many Buckley Log Show parades. He then began restoring farm tractors and completed at least a half dozen.
He and Eleanor were grand marshals of the Wilkeson National Handcar Races Parade when he turned 90. He and his grandson, Ford, pumped the handcar on an exhibition run during the races.
He was a 70-year member of the Wilkeson Eagles, a 50-year member of the Tacoma Model T Ford Club, a member of the Cadillac-LaSalle Club and a member of the IAM Machinist Union 751.
He his survived by his wife Eleanor; sons Charles (Gloria) and Bill; daughter Susan Black; brothers-in-law Jim Miller and Richard Swift; sister-in-law Irene Jasmer; three grandsons and four great-granddaughters. Everett was preceded in death by brothers Kenneth and Erwin and sisters Bernice Patton, Darlene Miller and Shirley Clausen.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Carbonado Firefighters Association, P.O. Box 348, Carbonado, Wash. 98323.
