Friends of Basketball

Bob & Romelle Ostrom

Year Inducted: 2002

Category: Friends of Basketball

Schools / Organizations:
Burlington Central High School
(Maple Park) Kaneland High School

Biography:

Romelle Ostrom started attending high school basketball games in Burlington in the late 1940’s, when an older sister’s boyfriend, Don Schairer, was a standout there. Romelle’s husband Bob didn’t start attending Burlington Central games until 1960 but they started attending games–home and away.

Bob Ostrom was a charter member and first president of the Burlington Central Boosters Club. The Ostroms were selected to receive Burlington Central’s Friend of Basketball Award in 1987.

The Ostroms did some traveling during the 1981-82 season as they followed the (Maple Park) Kaneland High School girls’ team coached by Rick Schairer as it won the IHSA Class A state championship. Rick Schairer’s son became freshman coach of the Burlington boys and that made another demand on the Ostroms’ time. Third-generation nephews who played at Byron and Sycamore also found them on hand when possible.

Bob Ostrom died Jan. 27, 2018 at age 88. We do not have the information for Romelle.