Raymond Tormod Ostby

Raymond Tormod Ostby died peacefully at Shuswap Lake General Hospital in Salmon Arm on May 29, 2023 at the age of 86 years.

He is survived by his wife Birte, daughter Randi (Duncan), son Tom (Karla) and grandchildren Stephen, Julianne, Eric, Kathryn, and Matthew.

Ray was born on July 23, 1936 in Dawson City, Yukon, but grew up in Burnaby and then attended U.B.C. where he earned a Forestry degree. After university he travelled to Norway where he met Birte and eventually charmed her into moving half-way around the world to marry him.

Ray and Birte lived, worked, and raised their family in North Vancouver and then 100 Mile House. Ray served as the District Manager of the B.C. Ministry of Forests in 100 Mile House until he retired in 1994. In 2011 Ray and Birte moved to Salmon Arm.

Ray was not one to sit around. He was always passionate about cross-country skiing and was a tireless volunteer for the 100 Mile and Larch Hills Nordic Ski Societies. He was a very capable ski course groomer and served as the Chief of Course for the World Cup Cross Country Ski Races at Silver Star in 1991.

Ray was an outdoor enthusiast and enjoyed hunting, fishing, and working on his cabin and property at Devine. Some of his favorite memories involved hunting trips and adventures with his forestry buddies. He was a skilled faller and embraced large chainsaws and tricky or imposing trees. He may have gotten in over his head once or twice, but luckily always managed to find a way out of a tight spot. He enjoyed woodwork and tinkering around with various pieces of machinery. He was a perfectionist, and his finished projects were always beautiful and a great source of pride. There was some excitement that one time when Ray neglected to tell Birte that he had removed the carburetor from the car and an engine fire resulted when she tried to start it. Fortunately, nobody was injured, and one fireman was quite impressed that the explosion had “blown the carburetor out of the car.”

Ray was loved and he will be missed.

The family would like to thank Dr. Rich Currie and the nurses and doctors at Shuswap Lake General Hospital who provided medical care for Ray during his short stay.