Charles Thomas Ostick

[richard]

Colonel Charles Thomas Ostick graduated from Columbus High School in 1955. His family moved to Columbus when Charlie was three.

[richard]

The Republic had a story when Colonel Charles Thomas Ostick received the DAR Medal of Honor.

A larger story can be viewed by clicking this link. The story is posted on the Athens Rotary Club of Athens, Georgia, USA


www.athensrotary.com/index.cfm?display=pages&pageid=1753&sub=c

[richard]

My thanks to (RER). He was able to find this story that appeared in ‘The Republic’, which is our fine Columbus, IN. newspaper.

Former Columbus resident honored with DAR award

By Brenda Showalter
Reporter

Daughters of the American Revolution honor fewer than a dozen Americans each year with their highest award, the Medal of Honor.

The Joseph Hart Chapter from Columbus traveled to Athens, Ga., recently to recognize a former Columbus resident whom they call a leader, hero and patriot.

Charles Ostick, 68, retired as a colonel in the Army after 27 years of service, including two tours in Vietnam, where he was a helicopter pilot.

The Columbus High School graduate received numerous military honors, including the Bronze Star and Purple Heart, after being shot between the eyes while transporting infantry soldiers into a hostile area of Vietnam.

Luckily, Ostick turned his head and the bullet grazed his skull and exited near his right ear.
After moving to Georgia, Ostick became an instructor and head of the ROTC program at the University of Georgia.

He also was an active volunteer, including work with Habitat for Humanity and Food Bank of Northeast Georgia, despite facing health problems.

He and his wife, Jessica, still volunteer where they can and offer moral support.

Proud moment

Ostick’s sister, Donna, a Columbus resident, was part of the contingent of eight Columbus and Indiana DAR members who traveled to Georgia to honor Ostick.

“He was so pleased with the award,” Donna said, noting that the award recognized mostly his civilian volunteer efforts.

At the Medal of Honor recognition ceremony, hosted by the Athens Rotary Club, Ostick received his medal and a congratulatory letter from former President Jimmy Carter.

Ostick said he was proud to be recognized and appreciative that so many Columbus DAR members traveled to Georgia for the program.

“It was an honor and a privilege,” Ostick said. “It had a lot of meaning to me.”

Ellen Baker, regent of the Columbus DAR chapter, said the award is the most prestigious the national organization bestows.

[richard]

Information about DAR as provided by (RER).

DAR was organized more than 115 years ago and has 125,000 active members in all 50 states and several foreign countries.

More than 830,000 women have been members of DAR since it began.

Work of the Joseph Hart Chapter in Columbus includes presenting good citizenship awards to students, funding scholarships and providing flags to schools.

The chapter has given donations to such organizations as Love Chapel and McDowell Adult Education Center.

The chapter also has provided prepaid telephone cards to soldiers at Camp Atterbury who are preparing to leave for Iraq.
Ellen Baker, regent of Joseph Hart Chapter, said DAR has three main interests:

Historic preservation.

Education.

Promotion of patriotism.

In the last two years, the local chapter has presented almost 200 flags to local school classrooms.

Local members range in age from their early 20s to mid 90s.

[RER]

"President Jimmy Carter About Charles Ostick's Award"\

Quote:

Recommendation from President Carter read as follows:



To Charles Ostick



Congratulations on receiving the Daughters of the American Revolution Medal of Honor. Your highly decorated service in the Army and volunteer work with Habitat for Humanity, the Rotary Club, and Food Bank of Northeast Georgia exemplify your patriotism and lifetime commitment to helping others. It is certainly fitting that you are being recognized with the Daughters of the American Revolution’s highest and most prestigious award.



Rosalynn joins me in sending you our warm best wishes for many more fulfilling years to come.



Sincerely,

Jimmy Carter


End Quote.

[Margo CHS Class of 55]

Thanks to all who have posted information on this GREAT GUY !!
I was able to talk to Charlie and his wife Jessica at our 50th Class Reunion last year. What a very special honor to have a GENTLEMAN with this type of service to his country both in the Military and as a Volunteer in the private sectoras a member of our 1955 Class.
I keep in touch with his older brother Stanley and he tells me Charlie is having some problems with his health. Please keep Charlie and his wife Jessica in your prayers.

Somewhere I have some pictures that Connie Pruitt Schafer shared with me of this particular ceremony in March 2006. Charlie looked great that day and I know how proud Jessica was of this man. What a wonderful couple.
I believe Connie's husband Jack took the pictures of the contigent of Columbus DAR members who made the trip south for this presentation.
I was also delighted to meet Charlie's sister Donna one day in a local grocery while Stanley was helping her shop. She was also telling me of the trip to Arthens Ga. and how proud she was of Charlie.

[richard]

The following information was found in The 'Republic' on-line edition today.

Colonel Charles T. "Charlie" Ostick, 70, of Athens, Ga., died Wednesday, July 23, 2008, after a long struggle with disorders of the central nervous system. Charlie was a highly decorated career Army officer, an adult educator and a dedicated community servant.

The funeral will be conducted at First Presbyterian Church of Athens at 2:00 p.m. Thursday, with a reception to follow. Visitations will be from six to 8:00 p.m. Wednesday at Bernstein Funeral Home, 3195 Atlanta Highway, Athens.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers a contribution be made to Athens Habitat for Humanity Chapter, First Presbyterian Church of Athens or a charity of the donor's choice.

Col. Ostick is survived by his wife of 48 years, Jessica; and three sons, William and his wife, Catherine, and their daughters, Elizabeth and Jillian, of Madrid, Spain; Andrew of Vero Beach, Fla.; and Daniel of Washington, D.C. He is also survived by two sisters and a brother, Donna Mae Ostick and Stanley E. Ostick of Columbus; Sally Lou Eckelman and her husband, Carl, of West Lafayette; a brother-in-law, Glenn F. Line of Columbus; and a number of nieces and nephews.

Col. Ostick, the son of Albertine and Harvey Ostick, was born in Freeport, Ill., Nov. 26, 1937, and was reared in Columbus, Indiana. He graduated from Columbus High School in 1955 and Purdue University with a BS degree in industrial economics in January 1960 and then entered the U.S. Army in February. He served more than 27 years as an Army officer, retiring in April 1987, while serving as professor of military science (PMS) at the University of Georgia (UGA).

During his military career, he served in command and leadership positions in both infantry and aviation units and held numerous staff jobs in the U.S. and abroad. While on active duty and serving as an advisor to the Indiana Army National Guard, he attended Ball State University and earned an MPA degree in 1983.

His second career as an adult educator was in Athens. He worked at UGA in the Continuing Education Center and then took a short break from UGA to work as training coordinator at Carrier Transicold before returning to the university where he worked for the housing department for 10 years. While at UGA he became an avid Dawgs fan and attended all home football games for more than 20 years.

He happily served as secretary of Athens Rotary Club for four years and was most proud to have had them name an award after him in 2003, "The Charles Ostick Workhorse Award," which is now awarded annually to a Rotarian who gives "Service Above Self." Purdue University honored him in 2007 as a member of the ROTC Hall of Fame.

He was also proud to have been honored in 2006 by Daughters of the American Revolution with their most prestigious Medal of Honor award for his lifetime achievements.

His community activities included Habitat for Humanity, The Food Bank, Athens Rotary Club, Athens Veterans Council and Learning in Retirement. He also was a member of First Presbyterian Church, Military Officers Association of America, DAV, Military Order of the Purple Heart, Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association, VFW and Masonic Temple.

Col. Ostick wished for his family to express his and their appreciation to his loving and trusted caregivers, Alfreda Hudson and Fredna Cannon.