Vernon O.Ostby, 86, Garrison, formerly of Douglas, died on Thursday, January 19, 2017 at the Garrison Hospital. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday at 11:00 am at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Garrison. Burial will take place in the spring at the Garrison City Cemetery.

Visitation will be held on Tuesday from 4 to7 pm at Thompson Funeral Home in Garrison.

Vernon O. Ostby was born on the family farm to Ole and Erna (Roeder) Ostby on May 9, 1930 in Platt Township in rural Douglas. He attended country school. After 8th grade, he and his brother stayed home and helped with the farming. On November 1, 1957, he married Patricia Medlin in Rockford, Il. They moved back to the farm on April 1, 1958. In 1966, they moved into Garrison. He continued to farm until his retirement in 1994.

Vernon was in the US Air Force during the Korean War. The Air Force sent him to the University of Southern California where he learned to go through the engine and the electrical systems to inspect the B-29 super fortresses. He loved anything mechanical that he could fix. He graduated from high school while in the service. He never got his diploma because it had been sent to the Garrison School, which later caught fire and his records were destroyed. He worked for Wretling Chevrolet in the winters and farmed in the summers.
He served on the West River Transportation Board since it was organized in 1977. He was a member of the Garrison Park Board, City Councilman, St. Paul's Church Board, Garrison Planning and Zoning, and the McLean County Planning and Zoning. He was also an honorary member of the Garrison Fire Dept. He was a member of the Hugh P. Minehan American Legion Post since 1956 and served as the Post Commander.

He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Pat, three children, Vernon Jr., Woodbine, IA, Glenda (John) Sorensen, Minot, ND, and Letha (Mike Szczur) Cattanach, Mobride, SD; 8 grandchildren, and 4 great grandchildren, his sisters, Shirley Birkholz, Garrison, Carol Foree of Modesto, CA, Audrey Mohn,Champaign, IL, Lora Bendickson, Minot, LeAnn Pigeon,Clinton, SC, sisters-in-law, Celesta Ostby, Florence Bond, Gloria Penrod, and Louise Yankowskas, brothers-in-law, Calvin Bond and Jerry Penrod and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Ole and Erna Ostby, his mother and father-in-law, Lee and Ruth Medlin, his brother Norman Ostby, brothers-in-law, Fred Mohn, Norman Pidgeon, JJ Foree, Bernard Bendickson, David Birkholz, Jerry Yankowskas, and Joe Roach.