Death of "Cactus" Jack Ostlund, long-time Linfield football player

Duyck & VanDeHey Funeral Home
Forest Grove, Oregon

Jack "Cactus" Raymond Ostlund

(December 26, 1945 - May 12, 2008)

Jack Raymond “Cactus” Ostlund, 63, a resident of Hillsboro, Ore., died Monday evening, May 12, 2008.

Photo from McMinnville News-Register, Oct. 19, 1966--"Linfield's 270-pound, 6-4 defensive tacle, is shown here on the sidelines during Saturday's game being looked-up-to by one of the ball wipers..."

Memorial Services will be held at 2:00 on Sunday afternoon, May 18 in Hillsboro.

Jack Ostlund was born on Jan. 26, 1945 in Hillsboro. The only son born to Ray and Irene (Nelson) Ostlund. He attended school at Peter Boscow Elementary, JW Barnes Jr. High, graduated in 1962 from Hillsboro Union High School and from Linfield College in 1967.

Marriages to Katherine Lewis and Cindy Armstrong ended in divorce and he married Joanne Anderson in 1995.

Jack had three great loves, football, fishing and his family. Jack started his football career at Hillsboro High under the instruction of lifelong friend Ad Rutschman, went on to play for Linfield College and in 1967 the Dallas Cowboys. Jack continued to play in 24 Linfield Alumni games until 51 and was inducted into the Linfield Hall of Fame in November of 2007. His teammates meant the world to him and continued to support him throughout his life.

Fishing was a passion for him, as a child fishing with Uncle Art was the greatest, when he retired he bought a truck and boat and spent about 300 days the first couple of years on the Columbia and Willamette rivers fishing. His last fish was the biggest he had ever caught weighing in at 45 pounds. Several of his fishing partners had been lifelong friends.

Jack taught for 31 years in the Portland School District, First at Ainsworth Elementary and then at West Sylvan Middle School, summers he worked for the Hillsboro City Public Works Department.

He is survived by his wife; Joanne, a son and daughter-in-law; Jack “Jay” Raymond and Kimberly Ostlund II of NE Portland two step sons and a daughter-in-law; Brian Maslen of Hawaii, David and Alina Wood of Bozeman, Mont., seven grandchildren; Amanda, Walter, Darian, Tanner, Luke, Jack Raymond III, Cael and a cousin; Bob Barton.

The family suggest donations in Jack’s name to the Linfield Athletics Dept.