SENATE RESOLUTION

                                 2000-8696

By Senators Snyder, Spanel, Sheldon, B., West, Hale, Johnson, Costa, and Kohl-Welles

      WHEREAS, Lynda Ann Ostrom was a highly regarded member of the community of Olympia, the community of public employees, the community of the Legislature, of our community; and

      WHEREAS, Lynda was born August 5, 1951, in Downers Grove, Illinois, to Wilbert "Bill" and Henrietta "Henri" Ehlers; and

      WHEREAS, Lynda grew up in the farmlands of northwestern Illinois, where she had many pets, including her favorite palomino, Sheba, who made the trip west with the Ehlers family when Lynda was 15; and

      WHEREAS, Lynda came to love the mountains and the seas of western Washington, enjoying many shrimping trips on Hood Canal with her father and her brothers; and

      WHEREAS, In 1978, Lynda married Bob Ostrom, and together they had many happy times enjoying the outdoor activities offered by our region; and

      WHEREAS, Lynda had a long involvement in public service, working with elderly people in a nursing home, going on a medical mission to Jamaica as part of a dental services team, and working in the Code Reviser's Office for 20 years, where she soon rose to the position of Editor of the Washington Administrative Code; and

      WHEREAS, Lynda loved all kinds of animals, going beyond ordinary dogs and cats to housebroken rabbits, pygmy goats, and her sister's emus and llamas; and

      WHEREAS, Lynda thoroughly enjoyed entertaining at her home, spending a week each summer preparing for her annual theme parties, and even though she claimed to be stressed out by the whole thing, we knew she was in her glory of being a great hostess; and

      WHEREAS, Lynda always found time for the really important things in life -- such as hugging the kids who came to visit her or delaying work in favor of going to Point Defiance or picking chanterelles; and

      WHEREAS, Lynda brought out the best in people.  She always greeted us with a cheerful "Hi ya" and a big smile, and if her greeting didn't brighten your day, her homegrown bouquets would surely catch your eye and remind you of warm sunny days; and

      WHEREAS, Lynda loved her family and was very proud of them all, and especially enjoyed seeing her nephews grow and develop and give wisdom and maturity to their parents; and

      WHEREAS, Lynda had a great many friends, both here on the hill and throughout the South Sound community, whose lives she touched and enlarged, whose children she influenced, who learned from her the true meaning of friendship -- crying together, laughing together, and sharing joy; and

      WHEREAS, Lynda was one of those rare individuals who was a teacher by example.  She nurtured the positive in us without judging the negative and her unconditional love of family and friends, of nature, of life, has set an example for all of us to follow; and

      WHEREAS, Lynda fought against cancer for the last months of her life, finally passing from this physical world on January 6th, at her home with her family and friends around her;

      NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington State Senate recognize the great accomplishments and contributions of Lynda Ann Ostrom, and extend its most sincere condolences to her family and friends for their deeply felt loss.

I, Tony M. Cook, Secretary of the Senate,

do hereby certify that this is a true and

correct copy of Senate Resolution 2000-8696,

adopted by the Senate January 21, 2000.

TONY M. COOK

Secretary of the Senate