Jeffrey Lawrence Ostendarp's Obituary
Jeffrey Lawrence Ostendarp, of Cornelius, passed away peacefully on the morning of April 18, 2024, at the age of 59 after an eight-month battle with colon cancer.
Jeff spent his last few days on this side of heaven surrounded by the love, laughter, prayers and stories of his close family and friends.
He is survived by his wife, Courtney Glankler Ostendarp, and their triplets: Quinn, Matthew, and Renee; mother, Lois Ostendarp; brother, Jay Ostendarp (Angie) and their children Jamie of Denver, CO and Erin of Raleigh, NC; sister, Julie Kerr and her daughter Jill of Charlotte, NC; multiple in-laws and 12 additional nieces and nephews.
Jeff is with his treasured father, Kenneth Ostendarp, cherished mother-in-law Lila Glankler and his beloved godson and nephew, Alec Ostendarp, who preceded him in death.
Jeff was born on February 27, 1965, in Cincinnati, Ohio, the oldest of three children. After a few years in Kentucky, his family made the move to Charlotte, NC in 1978. He attended St. Ann School before enrolling at Charlotte Catholic High School, where he participated in several sports: soccer – after his family played an integral role instituting the soccer program, football – where he became the first kicker for the team and baseball – where he was named to the All-Conference team. Throughout high school, he developed long-lasting friendships with a core group of young men, who remain close to this day.
He graduated from The University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill in 1987. Jeff was also a brother and elected President of the Theta Chi Fraternity. Anyone who knows Jeff knows he is a die-hard Tar Heel and would strike up a conversation about his love for the school with anyone and wore his pride on his sleeve (or his head).
Jeff led an illustrious career in sales, mainly in pharmaceuticals, where he earned multiple leadership awards (including President’s Club) and was most recently promoted to Director of Professional Strategy with Bausch+Lomb. Over the years, the people he encountered made it a point to mention his smile, spirit, and diligence in fostering relationships.
Jeff and Courtney met in 1978 and became close family friends – a relationship that eventually blossomed into a beautiful romance. After marrying in 1990 and having their triplets in 1997, their home was filled with overwhelming joy. Over the years, loved ones often admired their dedication to each other and their children. Even as his disease progressed, his focus never wavered from his faith and family. His sense of humor carried him through the joys and sufferings of his life.
A visitation celebrating Jeff’s life will be held on April 23 at James Funeral Home in Huntersville from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial is scheduled for April 24 at 11 a.m. at St. Mark Catholic Church in Huntersville, where we ask those attending to consider joining in his love for the Tar Heels by wearing Carolina blue. A reception will follow afterwards in the Kerin Family Center adjacent to the church to honor the impact he made on so many. For those unable to attend physically but would like to witness in spirit, a livestream will be available on St. Mark’s website. A private interment of ashes will be held in the Mt. Zion United Methodist Church Columbarium.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to MiraVia.org, stjude.org or the American Cancer Society.
James Funeral Home, of Huntersville, is serving the family and obituary lovingly written by the family.
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