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.