Obituary for
Vivi-Ann Ostrand Lee (Ostrand)
Vivi-Ann Linnea Ostrand was born July 8, 1938 in Boston Massachusetts, to Karin and Eric Ostrand. She is preceded in death by her parents and her husband, James Lee. She is survived by her daughters Karen Young and Liz Stanton (Jason), and her grandchildren, Linnea and Adam Stanton.
She was raised an only child in Roslindale, MA. Swedish was her only language until she entered grade school. She graduated from Dedham High School in 1956, and went to Boston University for Nursing School. She was a member of Gamma Phi Beta Sorority and Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society.
Upon graduation, Vivi-Ann entered the Navy as a part of the Navy Nurse Corps. After working at a hospital in Philadelphia, she was transferred to Subic Bay, Philippines. From there, she transferred to Yokosuka, Japan. It was there she met James Lee, a Naval Shore Patrol Officer. They both were transferred to assignments in Southern California, where they continued their courtship. They were married August 7, 1966 in Boston, at the Marsh Chapel, at Boston University. They made their first home in Long Beach, CA. She was so delighted to have also gained three sisters-in-law, and a welcoming family.
Vivi-Ann retired from the Navy in 1967. After her two daughters were born, Vivi-Ann and Jim, still in the service, transferred to Hawaii, where they enjoyed 8 great, warm years. In 1978, Jim was transferred to San Diego, CA, and the family moved. Vivi-Ann maintained responsibility for the home and the girls during those times that Jim was at sea. Without the surrounding support of other military families, as they had been in the neighborhood in Hawaii, Vivi-Ann and Jim found a strong, loving, and supportive faith family at St. Andrews Lutheran Church.
As Karen and Liz got older, Vivi-Ann went back to work, first as a floor nurse at Grossmont Hospital, and then as a review nurse for medical insurance groups. She retired in 1998. During this time, Vivi-Ann and Jim welcomed Vivi-Ann’s Aunt Greta and Uncle Bill Ohrenberger into their home to care for them in their final years. Vivi-Ann had a fantastic group of friends, and many of them she kept correspondence with for decades.
In 2008, Vivi-Ann and Jim “retired” to Minnesota, to be close to their grandchildren. She adored them, and they were blessed to have her in their lives for as long as they did.
Vivi-Ann leaves this life with a legacy that will remain for generations. She modeled strength and independence for her daughters, along with love of family, loyalty and pragmatism. She was known for having an opinion, even when it didn’t conform with what others expected of her. She shared her convictions, but regularly, through life, reminded her daughters that “different isn’t wrong; it’s just different.” She was ruthlessly organized in some things, and wildly chaotic in others. Even in the chaos, she knew just where to find what she needed. She told people the truth even when it was uncomfortable. She was a stickler for the proper use of “I” vs. “me”, and let you know it. She had an unpredictable sense of humor, sending others into fits of laughter when least expected with her delivery. She carried sadness inside, but never wanted to bother others with it, even though they would have been honored to share the load. She was endlessly curious about the world and everything in it. She seemed to know at least a little bit about almost everything. If she didn’t she had great ideas on how to find the answer. She loved the symphony and choral concerts; murder mysteries and medical texts; sewing and cross-stich; cookbooks, romances, and encyclopedias; the opera and baseball, football, and hockey.
She was well loved and she will be deeply, deeply missed.
She will be interred at Ft. Snelling National Cemetery on October 8th, with honors, in a small gathering of family and friends due to the ongoing pandemic.