Obituary
Lyle E. Ostrander
Lyle Ostrander, 92, of Holmen, Wisconsin, passed away on July 20, 2026, after a short, hard-fought battle against leukemia.
He had a great love for his family. He is survived by his son, Mike (Marcy) Ostrander; daughter, Kelley (Rich) Cooper; brother, Robert Ostrander; three beloved grandchildren, David (Miriam) Deming, Zachary Ostrander, Breanne (Rusty) Nordlund; and five great-grandchildren.
A proud U.S. Air Force veteran, Lyle enlisted at age 17 and served from 1951 to 1954. His most memorable assignment was as an air traffic controller at Thule Air Force Base in Greenland.
While home on leave, he met the love of his life, Pat, on a cold but beautiful Christmas Eve. They married in 1956. And were an amazing, inspirational team for 54 years, until her death in 2020.
After his military service, Lyle attended Flint Community College and later earned a master’s degree from the University of Michigan. He worked for Uniroyal Tire before returning to air traffic control with the FAA, serving at airports in Detroit and Ypsilanti. What was supposed to be a temporary move to open the control tower at La Crosse Regional Airport as tower manager, led Lyle and Pat to fall in love with the Coulee region and its people. They changed course and made Holmen their forever home.
An accomplished wood carver, he found joy in transforming ordinary pieces of wood into works of art. As a falconer, he had a love for wildlife and the outdoors.
He had a deep respect for his community and was an active member of the Holmen Historical Society and served as president of the Holmen School Board. He also instructed at Winona State University Aviation program. He was also in charge of running Hi Tek Aviation One, a program for disadvantaged youth in the state of Wisconsin.
He will be remembered for his love of family and friends, a steady hand controlling the skies, his artistry with wood, and deep roots in the Holmen community. A celebration of life will be held in the future, please check back for dates and times.
Coulee Region Cremation Group is assisting the family during this difficult time.
Lyle was an amazing man, it was my honor getting to know him through the Holmen Area Historical Society. My deepest sympathy.