Deborah "Deb" Jane Ostrum

Deborah “Deb” Jane Ostrum, 75, passed away on November 16, 2022 at her home in Camp Hill, PA. Just recently, in August, she was preceded in death by her loving husband of 24 years, Harold “Hal” A. Ostrum. They had enjoyed their golden years travelling and spending time with family and friends. Their favorite places to visit were Cape May, NJ and Mackinac Island. She was born on March 2, 1947 in Mineola, NY to Jay George & Enid (Lockwood) Mills. She had a close relationship with her Aunt Muriel Lockwood (Aunt Moo), and her grandmother Myra (Yi-Yi). All of whom preceded her in death. She is survived by her brother, Robert L. Mills, of Sun City Center, FL, and her 3 boys – Tim and his wife Rebecca of Etters, PA, Brian and his wife Christy O’Neill of Mechanicsburg, PA, and Chris and his significant other Tracy Steele of Shermans Dale, PA. Hal also had 3 boys - Jeff and his wife Mary Anne Ostrum of Cedar Rapids, IA, Todd and his wife Jennifer Ostrum from Richmond, VA, Scott and his wife Tammy Ostrum of Fredericksburg, VA. Together they had 13 grandchildren - Joel, Kelly, Derek, Ryan, & Padraig O’Neill; and Mikayla, Heather, Sarah, Rebecca, Matthew, Nathan, Kyle, & Ashton Ostrum. Her dad was a corporate executive, and they lived in Chicago and Brooklyn, New York, where her parents were originally from. Growing up, the family would spend summers at Kimogenor Point, NY, on the north fork of Long Island. It’s an intimate enclave of beach cottages, where summers meant spending all your time with the kids in your neighborhood. It’s where she developed a sense of bonding with your neighbors, and carried that philosophy through life. Some of her closest friends are those that have been her neighbors wherever she has lived. She graduated from Garden City High School in 1965. Afterwards, she went to Mrs. Skinners’ Secretarial School and earned a diploma in the Executive Secretarial Course. She married her first husband, James O’Neill, and they moved with the boys to Pennsylvania in 1976. Once she got to know the area, and in the spirit of getting to know her neighbors, she started working for Welcome Wagon. This was a program where area businesses would put together a welcome basket with coupons, area guides, and samples. Then, Deb would visit people who had just moved into the area and give the welcome basket, and sit and talk with them, giving them advice on what’s good around the area. So, if you moved into the Mechanicsburg area in the late 1970’s, she probably visited your home. During the next few decades, she concentrated on raising her three boys. The kids in the neighborhood, and sports they played in, produced a new group of close friends. Once the boys were older, she worked at various jobs – Hanover Foods, PNC Bank, and Jackson Hewitt Tax Services, before retiring with Hal. There will be a “Celebration of Life” reception from 3-6 pm on December 3, 2022 at the Lower Allen VFW Post 7530, located at 4545 Westport Drive, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055.