Patrick James (P.J.) Ostler of Ottawa, Illinois passed away in his home, Aug. 24, 2015. He was 74 years old, though he firmly denied that he was ever a day over 39.

P.J. was born July 15, 1941 in Chicago, Illinois. He attended St. Procopius in Lisle (now Benet Academy), then transferred to Wheaton Central, though he eventually obtained his GED so that he could help with the family mink farm. When he got his first truck in the 1950s, he would drive it around town in the sweltering heat with the windows rolled up and smile and wave, so that everyone would think that he had air conditioning.

P.J. enlisted in the Air Force reserves in 1963 and was deployed as security police in Paris, France, during the Vietnam War. While overseas he proposed to Marian Marriner, sending her an engagement ring in the mail. They married in Lisle, Illinois in 1966 and went on to have seven children.

P.J. was a postman in Ottawa for 40 years, mostly serving the south side; he retired in 1999. It is reported that he was once chastised for getting his hair cut on company time, in which he responded, “my hair grows on company time, so I’ll get it cut on company time!”

P.J. loved spending quiet mornings fishing the Illinois River, listening to a Cub’s game on the radio, and celebrating Hoodie-Hoo day every February. He had a joke for you every time he saw you. Sometimes they were even funny. He loved animals and missed country living. He brought a bit of the country to town and at one time had both a pet rooster and a pet pig. He did not have a bat, though, despite a large animal cage in his living room with a sign taped to it that said, “Notice! Unless you have had all your shots, do not put fingers in this cage!” If you were one of the many who stared intently into the cage trying to see that bat move, he found you very entertaining.

Right now he’s probably listening to a Teresa Brewer record, watching reruns of The Three Stooges with Laurel and Hardy and debating, “who’s on first?”

P.J. is survived by his children Teresa Ostler of Incline Village, NV; Caroline (Tom) Kraus of Montgomery, IL; Sandra (Jeff) Stoudt of Marseilles, IL; Barbara Ostler of Eagan, MN; Michael (Josie) Ostler of Rockton, IL; Katie Ostler of Harvard, IL; and Dave (Angie) Ostler of Love’s Park, IL; and his 16 grandchildren. He is also survived by his siblings Kathleen (Jack) Quinn, Eileen (Richard) Kaye, Maureen (Bob) Hall, Colleen (Jack) Craig, Noreen Hyslop, Charlie Ostler, and Jan Ostler; and friend Geri Bezroukoff. He is preceded in death by his parents, Della (Ostler) Beaudoin and Charles Ostler, and his brother, Tim Ostler.

Visitation will be held on Monday, Aug. 31 from 4:00 to 7:00 pm at Ottawa Funeral Home 1111 LaSalle Street in Ottawa Illinois. A memorial service will follow on Tuesday, Sep. 1 at 11:00 a.m., also at Ottawa Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to P.J.’s 2015 Cubs’ World Series Champs celebration at www.gofundme.com/PatsCubsChamps. This is the year!