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IN LOVING MEMORY OF Nancy Lou Swinford Ostrom
Nancy Lou
Swinford Ostrom
December 24, 1937 – October 9, 2017
Nancy Lou Swinford Ostrom's Obituary
St. George, Utah
- Nancy Lou Swinford Ostrom was born December 24, 1937 in Rosedale, Oklahoma to Wesley and Lulabelle Swinford. The family moved to Oregon when she was 5, and she grew up in Portland, graduating from Jefferson High School in 1955. She then graduated from Hannibal-LaGrange Junior college in Hannibal, Missouri in 1957 with an associate degree in elementary education. She furthered that education at Oregon State University.
She married Kenneth Ostrom on October 15, 1960. They have three sons: Mark, Michael, and Matthew. A daughter died shortly after birth in 1963. Other survivors include: daughters-in-law: Jill Ostrom, Theresa Ostrom, Nansi Ostrom and Kelly Ostrom; grandchildren: Brittany Ostrom, Mason Ostrom, Chase Ostrom, and Lauren Ostrom; and great-grandchildren: Cash Thompson, Rush Thompson, and Leif Ostrom.
In addition to being the consummate wife, mother, grandma, and great-grandma she was employed as…
- Vacation Bible School teacher/missionary in Hilo, Hawaii in 1960.
- Navy wife (and mother), living in Japan in 1962-63 with Ken at sea 70% of that time.
- Director/Teacher of Bible Baptist Kindergarten for 10 years (before Oregon had public kindergartens) with 160 active minds each year.
- Receptionist/organizer for a racquetball and fitness center.
- Real estate agent and broker in Oregon, and later a real estate agent in California.
Some of her life-adventures include travel in most of the 50 states and over 40 foreign countries. Many summers she packed up the family of five to live in other parts of the country for up to 3 months. These include summers in Madison, WI, Newport, RI, Washington DC, and many summers in San Diego, CA. She made dozens of albums (scrapbooks) to recall these excursions. She also completed qualifications for a private pilot's license, including her solo flight. She played tournament –level racquetball up into her 50s and has a wall full of trophies to attest to her amazing athletic abilities.
Nancy's passion for communicating with others in a meaningful way in these later years led her to create hundreds of handmade cards, usually with pictures, to send as encouragements to many. She has also had intimate involvement with Samaritan's Purse Shoebox ministry.
Her stroke in January 2016 affected her left side, and only through the prayers of many along with her fierce personal discipline did she regain remarkably. God lovingly and mercifully released her from all limitations and took her home on October 9, 2017.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to Samaritan's Purse Shoebox Ministry.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Nancy Lou Swinford Ostrom, please visit our flower store.
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