John Nicholas Osterkamp
1/17/1922 - 5/31/2009
John N. Osterkamp sleeps with the angels, passing away
Sunday evening May 31, 2009
John Nicholas Osterkamp was born January 17th 1922 in
Wasco, California to Dutch immigrant parents, Anthony
and Anna Osterkamp. The family of ten children moved
to Santa Ana, California in the 1930’s and started a dairy
in 1942. John quit college and joined the Army Air Corp.
He served overseas flying B25 Bombers in the India/Burma
Theater. He completed 72 missions with 310 combat hours
at the end of the war. He returned to Santa Ana in the fall
of 1945.
In 1946 he married Joan Truxaw of Anaheim. They moved
to the Imperial Valley to begin his lifelong occupation as a
farmer, starting with growing alfalfa for his dad’s dairy. He
was well respected by all he met, serving on many boards,
including Farm Credit Services and the California Beet
Growers Association. He was active in Rotary Club and
Sacred Heart Church. He was a good and humble friend to
all he knew from company presidents to his employees on
the ranch, being fluent in Spanish all his life.
He had many pastimes, including traveling, golfing, hunting,
flying, fishing and boating on his favorite boat “Dutch
Treat.” Now all fish are safe.
John and Joan’s family grew to five children. His wife Joan
preceded him in death, in 1993. He is survived by all his
children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Sue (Bill)
Brandt, Judy (Sean) Glynn-Farrell, Nancy Clancy, Drs. John
(Terre) Osterkamp and Mark (Marcy) Osterkamp. John and
Joan greatly loved their grandchildren, Mark, Eric (Tiffani),
Ryan and Amy Brandt and Kelly (Erik) Rasmussen. Major
Matt (Megan) Glynn USAF, Brian and Katie Clancy,
Anneke (Chris) Greco, Marissa and Emily Osterkamp,
Peter (Kim), Ellen, Philip Osterkamp. Great-Grandchildren
Jake & Kate Rasmussen, Vedder Brandt, James and John
Glynn, Abigail Greco & Owen Nicholas Osterkamp.
His is also survived by brothers Joe and Gus Osterkamp,
sisters, Dorothy Uranich, Mary Eggleton, Wilma Callahan,
Toni Shipkey and numerous nieces and nephews. He was
predeceased by sisters Agnes Galvin and Anita Wallace.
In 1994, John married Dorothy Hutchison of Newport
Beach. They lived happily on Lido Isle in his twilight
years, traveling often. Her companionship and devotion
was treasured by John and especially appreciated by the
family during his failing health. John is also survived by
his stepchildren, Robyn (Dave) Garfoot, Young (Terri)
Hutchison and Hunter (Dave) Severt and their children.
A Memorial Mass is scheduled at Sacred Heart Catholic
Church in Brawley at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, June 3. The
Mass will be officiated by Reverend Joe Masar and Reverend
Bernardo Ranoa. Gravesite Services will be held at Holy
Sepulcher Cemetery, Orange, California 92869 on Thursday
June 4 at 1:30 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Alzheimer’s
Research, Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Brawley, or the
Clark Seybert Memorial BUHS Athletic Scholarship.
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