Robert Neil Ostlund died in his home in Anacortes, WA on March 28, 2019 after a valiant two-year battle with cancer. His wife of 38 years, Nita Ostlund, was with him all the way. Bob was born in Seattle on June 23, 1945; he was 73 years old when he died.

That is as much of an obituary as you are going to get. Rather, this is an open letter about and to Bob. You see, Bob worked hard wherever he worked; but, as hard as he worked there, he worked harder in his everyday life to like or love everyone around him. And he made it look easy even as the circle of people grew ever larger. There was his Mom and Dad and his siblings James and his wives Andrea (now deceased) and Joanne, Richard and his wife Vollea, and Eleanor (Cookie) and her husband Clark Gaulding, and his aunts,   uncles and his cousins. Then, there was the next generation, his nieces, nephews, and second cousins, too many to name here, and now, even the generation after that --- grand nieces and nephews and second cousins. He went out of his way to be with all of them and to be there for them whenever they needed anything he could provide.

Beyond family, his circle included all the schools he attended, Holy Rosary (grade school), O'Dea and Seattle University; the companies he worked for, Valvoline, Black and Decker and the Boeing Co, where he was employed until his retirement in 2002 and all the many people he met at those places (yes, he loved the institutions and companies as well as the people). He certainly loved his God and his church.

Bob acquired and loved a few toys over time --- his first boat, the Mimi; his second boat, the Nellie Two; and his RV. The Ranger Tug Co that built the Nellie Two treated Bob like an unofficial ambassador and for good reason: he talked more than one of his friends and acquaintances into a Ranger, and Bob and Nita were often the first ones on the dock at Ranger gatherings, catching dock lines and helping where needed. Bob was known fondly in that group as the "Mayor of The Dock". Another title Bob acquired in the   Ranger Tug Family was "Margarita Bob". He became famous serving margaritas at Ranger Tug rendezvous since 2008. The RV gave Bob a chance to befriend total strangers wherever he went; they were a more transitory and fleeting group of friends, but friends nevertheless to Bob.

When Bob wasn't on the boat or in the RV, he would be traveling. He especially enjoyed visiting Ireland, nine trips to be exact, and his love of Wales, Europe, South America,   Bahamas, and the list continues.

So really, this is not just an obituary, or even just a letter to and about Bob Ostlund. It is a love letter, because that is what he did best. All those he knew and loved that have     preceded him in death are now waiting to welcome him. All of us left behind want to say, "Bob, we will miss you and are sad to see you go. We celebrate you and the life you led. Good Bye. Hope to see you again. Safe journey."

Memorials in Bob's name are suggested to

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center ,
P.O. Box 19024,

Seattle, WA 98109-1024.

Click on Fred Hutch link above to donate online

To share memories of Bob please sign the online guestbook at: www.evanschapel.com