Judie Dale Ostlien

Our beloved Judie Dale Ostlien passed away at her mother’s home south of Abilene, Texas, at age 61. Judie spent her childhood at the ranch owned by her grandparents, Johnny and Helen Ostlien, in Haakon County, South Dakota, with her parents, Dale and Dollie Ostlien, her brother, Kelly, and sister, Donna (That’s me).

She found her love of nature and fossils in the creeks and prairies. We attended a two-room school house called Plum Creek, where she found her love of books and knowledge. When we came to Taylor County, we moved to our southern grandparents’ family farm, owned by Vernis and Louren Ohlhausen, where Judie learned how to work hard and be strong.

She graduated from Wylie High School in 1979. Above all else, Judie learned to be selfless. She always gave her all to anything and anyone that she felt was important. She loved and lost several important men in her life. John Thompson, Fidel Ramos, Ray Spalding, and Robert Burt. Judie spent her adult life as a housekeeper in and around Abilene. But once again, she was so much more. When you became a client of Judie’s, she took care of your possessions, but also she took care of the people. Judie loved and lost many clients over the years. For 40 years, she worked in their homes and felt the joy and pain of every family member that lived there. Judie touched the lives of so many families, the Humphreys, Morrises, and Langholtzes, to name a few, and with each death in those families, Judie was there for them. We lost Kelly when he was 36. We lost our grandparents, Mommom and Grandaddy Ohlhausen and Grandpa and Grandma Ostlien, along the way, and we lost our dad, Dale, just a few years ago. But there was joy. The discovery of prehistoric fossils on the Ohlhausen family land was monumental for Judie. She taught herself paleontology and was recognized by the scientific community, including when she co-authored a journal paper about the numerous creatures she and family members uncovered. This was her passion. A list of those she is survived by includes her mother, me, Truck and Elizabeth. Kelly’s family, Trina, Makaley and Kauy. On Daddy’s side, our aunt Nancy and Sharon Ostlien, Cousins Mike Pellerzi, Wendy Kay and other family from South Dakota. And on Mother’s side, there are too many to name, but I will recognize our cousin, Jo Helen Cox, for being there. Judie loved and spent the last 22 years with Brian Bethel, who loves her and is going to be lost without her. She is my big sister and my lifelong friend. She’s the smartest person I ever knew, and she could be so funny you’d lose your breath from laughing.

Please don’t waste money on cut flowers as Judie was not a fan. Please send any contributions to the Buffalo Gap Cemetery, care of Buffalo Gap City Hall, 709 Litel Street, Buffalo Gap, TX 79508. She would like that, as keeping the cemetery neat and tidy was important to her. A memorial service to celebrate Judie’s life is pending. Condolences may be sent to dollieostlien1940@att.net.