Richard Evelyn Ostler

Richard Evelyn Ostler, M.D. 90 years of age, passed away December 13, 2017, at a care center in Pocatello, Idaho. He was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, on July 27, 1927, and was the third son of Willard Howarth Ostler and Ethel Marguerite Byrd. The family returned later to Wyoming, living in various places such as Thermopolis and Greybull, also spending time at their Byrd grandparent's ranch outside Lovell, Wyoming.

Richard started school at a one room schoolhouse in an area known as Crrooked Creek before moving to Salt Lake City where he attended Ensign School. They had moved in with the Ostler grandparents before several moves in Salt Lake City. The family moved to Pocatello, Idaho, in 1937 with few material belongings. He rode in the back of a pickup truck driven by their uncle, with his two older brothers while his mother rode in the cab with their little sister. The family went through some very tough times with their father moving around a number of times trying to earn a living for his family selling insurance

Life took a turn for the better eventually when their father became associated with his brother Earcel in the decorating business but still needed help from the Byrd grandparents. There were several moves around Pocatello before finally settling in a house on North Arthur. By this time there were six children, and the three oldest were attending Pocatello High School at the same time. The WWII years brought financial opportunities with their father taking contracts for glass work and painting on defense projects, the beginning of Ostler Glass and Paint.

Richard did fairly well in school, loved reading history books. When he graduated from Pocatello High he joined the Navy and was scheduled for electronics training. He was in boot camp when WWII ended so didn't have the additional training and was discharged one year later. After returning to Pocatello he began school at Idaho State in engineering courses (which he really didn't like) and switched his major to Pharmacy, graduating in 1950.

He began dating Elaine Poole while he was at Idaho State and she was still at Pocatello High. They married on June 9, 1949, in the Idaho Falls LDS Temple. They were a hardworking, determined couple, working at new jobs in Richfield, Utah, and then serving two years in the British Mission of the LDS Church. With his Pharmacy license they returned to Pocatello where he worked nearly five years at the Gate City Pharmacy while also serving in the Bannock Creek Branch of the Church, but there was still the nagging thoughts that he wanted something else--medical school--so it was back to school again, this time at The George Washington University School of Medicine where he graduated in 1962, and after interning at the LDS Hospital in Salt Lake he returned to Pocatello once more to begin his practice of Family Medicine.

From 1963 until retiring from his medical practice at age 65, he rendered dedicated and loving care to a very large number of patients in his private practice. He also served as the District Surgeon for the Union Pacific Railroad Employees Health System in the Idaho Division of the UPRR. When health problems brought on his retirement from private practice for a time he gladly accepted an offer from the ISU Family Practice Program to help prepare new physicians to properly care for patients. He began with the very first group of residents serving there until his 82nd birthday.

He has lived a long, productive life along with Elaine and his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, but recently has been hampered by health issues. He has been an example worthy of imitation, served patients well, and been a great influence with his family and many others. He will be greatly missed.

He is survived by his wife Elaine, his brothers, Willard (Heather), James (Jean), and David (Rita), and his sister Carolyn Hale (Alan). His oldest brother, Fredrick Byrd Ostler, was a B17 copilot who died in WWII. He is also survived by his children--Fred Jon Ostler (Vicki), Brian Robert Ostler (Sandra), and Nancy Lynn Scott (Lamar). There are eleven grandchildren and twenty-one great grandchildren.

His family greatly appreciates the loving care provided to their patriarch by the Caring Hands employees and the Horizon Hospice professionals.

Funeral services will be at 1:00pm on Saturday December 16, 2017 at the Victory LDS Ward,4600 Victory Avenue, with a viewing one hour prior to the service. There will also be a viewing from 6:00-8:00pm on Friday December 15, 2017 at Wilks Funeral Home, 211 West Chubbuck Road. Condolences and memories may be shared with the family under the "Tribute Wall" tab above.