The late Erros Osterloh left a lasting impact on her students.

Some of the former students wanted to write tributes to their beloved teacher, who died Jan. 5 at age 88.Those tributes follow.

Mrs. Osterloh began teaching in La Grande in 1960. She taught

science at the junior high for three years before moving to the high

school where she taught biology, earth science, astronomy and

photography.

The memorial service for Mrs. Osterloh will be at 11 a.m. Monday at First Christian Church, 901 Penn Ave. A reception and story-telling will follow.

The impact that Erros Osterloh had as a teacher in La Grande is impossible to quantify or do justice to with words alone. Her recent passing prompts me to write a tribute to the amazing teacher, person, mentor and friend she was to me and so many others at La Grande High School and in Eastern Oregon.

Erros was truly an inspirational teacher in the field of earth science in La Grande. She and Norm Masterson teamed in the late 1960s to start a summer science program in La Grande that only 24 fortunate students were admitted to, which I had the pleasure of being a part of two different times. I can honestly say that those experiences studying the earth’s geology, botany and beauty truly influenced who I am today.

There are few teachers anywhere who organized and produced the quality of this program that La Grande students benefited from.

She was Teacher of the Year in the state of Oregon after I left high school, but there are no awards worthy of her ability to inspire students.

As part of her classes and field trips to the Fossil Beds of the John Day country, the Oregon Coast to study oceanography and geology, the wilderness high lakes of Wallowa County and the Snake river of Hells Canyon, she made the science of the earth come to life and become a passion for all of us who participated.

I later was fortunate enough to student teach under her mentorship and truly gained an appreciation of the vast resources of slides and materials she had personally collected and used in her classroom. She was an inspirational teacher and a great friend in her later years.

No textbooks were needed as she had all of her resources from her own personal files of literally hundreds of slide carousels, rock collections, flower pressings, truly and amazing collection of resources. Student teaching in her class was one of the most amazing experiences I ever had as a teacher and I consider it a great privilege to have had her as a mentor.

I could name many, many people positively influenced by Mrs. “O.” There are teachers in Hermiston, Pendleton, all over the state, who have done well at duplicating what Erros Osterloh did in La Grande. There are doctors and dentists and business people as well, all walks of life that would write even better things about her than I am.

We all owe her so much. She was truly one of the most inspirational teachers I have ever known.

The bonds of friendship between students developed in her classes still exist today. The experiences united students for the better in the cause of learning and friendship in ways that go beyond the scope of just Earth Science. They were life-changing experiences that made every single student not only more knowledgeable, but better people and with greater respect for this amazing planet we get to enjoy and for the people we share it with.

For me that gives me profound joy every time I go out in nature and see a bald eagle, or a syncline or anticline in the Columbia River Gorge, or a mima mound in Central Oregon. I remember her every time I see something like that to this day.

I will never forget those experiences and the friendships formed will never end. Thank you, Erros Osterloh!

– Jim McMahan

Dr. McMahan is a La Grande dentist. He is a 1971 graduate of La Grande High School and in 1976 graduated from EOU with degrees in Chemistry and Secondary Education. He taught physics and math at Pendleton High School, then in 1982 graduated from the OHSU School of Dentistry. He has been practicing in La Grande since 1982.

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I guess my life was just too simple. After leaving EOSC in 1973, I moved to Hermiston to teach at Hermiston Sr. High School for 30 years where I retired. My 30 years in the classroom were all at the high school teaching science.

Certain people are born to be the ones that stand at the fork in the road of life; Eros Osterloh was just such a person.

Forty-four years ago this summer, it was my good fortune to have been enrolled in La Grande Senior High School’s newly implemented “Summer Science Program” taught by Erros Osterloh and Norm Masterson. That “fork” in the road led me to a career in secondary science education and a life full of joy that I will never regret.

Erros’ influence gave to me a love of science and passion for teaching that has resulted in a 30- plus year teaching career of my own. To relate all of the wonderful times and learning experiences that I enjoyed with Erros (“Mrs. O”) would literally require a book (and don’t think I am the only student that ever considered writing such a book of these wonderful times).

As I write this short tribute to my friend and mentor, I think of those students that I hope I have had a positive influence on. It broadens my scope to think of the many students that “Mrs. O” taught – and that they, like myself, chose a path based on her influence and what they too have done to influence others is mind bending. The idea that “compounding” knowledge is possible, is a tribute to this wonderful teacher.

Erros Osterloh led a life full of joy and wonderment and we need to celebrate the many gifts she shared with us all. Her influence goes well beyond those that ever experienced her skills in the classroom. “Mrs. O”, your skills will be missed but what you passed on lives in the lives of others you never met.

– Tim Turner

Tim is an LHS graduate. His mom was Patty Turner. The La Grande library children’s room is named after her. Tim is a retired educator in Hermiston.

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How lucky we were to have Mrs. Osterloh as a teacher.

What passion she had for teaching earth sciences. Every year she would coordinate a field trip to the Oregon Coast. This meant overseeing fundraising activities during the year to help pay for the trip. Then she would spend several days with all of us on the coast. She was very generous in spending her free time for our benefit.

She could be gruff at times but I’m sure I deserved every bit of that and then some. Actually, I’m not sure why she put up with some of us and our mischievous behavior. She did teach me much in spite of myself.

She loved and cared deeply for her students.

Yes, we were very lucky to have her as our teacher.

Thank you Mrs. O!

– Mike Swope

Mike Swope graduated from LHS in 1971. He is a real estate investment broker in Boise.

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Memories of Earth Science will always start with the spring trip to the coast, staying at the Quaker Camp, spending time at the tide pools and learning how those animals and plants survived, Tillamook Lighthouse, Cannon Beach and Ecola State Park. But so much was in the trip there and back.

Mrs. Osterloh was constantly teaching, stopping at road cuts to explain the geology. There is a book out now called “Roadside Geology of Oregon” in which different highways and mile posts are noted with the geology that is apparent. So many of those places are placesshe taughtus about.

A special memory was a trip to the Sheep Rock Unit of the John Day Fossil beds before it became a monument. At the time a classmate was my girlfriend. Sure everyone had their rock hammers, canteens and instructions to find fossils butafter a while my girlfriend and I spotted a little cave and climbed into it to make out for a bit. And there we found probably the only bony fossils that anyone found. Small bones that were broken and nothing identifiable but fossils none the less. Mrs. Osterloh was pretty impressed with us, but perhaps it was a bit of the old saying “lucky in love.”

Also on that trip we went to an area south of Long Creek to Fox Valley where there was a bank with fossil leaves that impressed me as much as anything.

Of course we would mess it up at times being teenagers. She must have had the patience of a saint, to spend her spring break with the students she saw every week.

Mrs. Osterloh’s class was always one of the most sought after because she always kept it interesting and challenging, and of course the field trips combined fun and learning. I think everyone wanted to stay on her good side.

I wonder how many became teachers hoping to emulate her. I know she helped keep me interested in science and because of that I went into Medicine. But before that I would dream of being a “lunar geologist” as it seemed like it may be a possibility with what was going on with NASA at the time.

– Dave Donnelly

Dr. David Donnelly is a 1971 LHS graduate. He is a medical doctor with the Department of Veterans Affairs in Southern Oregon.

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Mrs. O was one of the most influential teachers I’ve ever had. She opened the door for me to the wonders of the natural world. She selflessly shared her lifelong curiosity about the world around her with her many students. Her gift to me is one I enjoy every day of my life.

The many Earth Science trips were great. Who now would have the patience to take that many teenagers all over the state of Oregon?

Oh, yes, getting caught in the boys’ dorm on the coast trip and having a towelthrown over my head when some boy entered sans clothing straight from the shower. Lost in the fog with Tom Carroll on top of EagleCap Mountain. Kim Walker dying his hair blond on the Bend trip in Summer Science (a pretty big deal in 1969).

The slide shows Mrs. O loved to put on – a mixture of natural phenomenon and embarrassing photos of students. I wonder where all of those slides are now?

Was there ever a better class than Summer Science? Can you even imagine two teachers taking 24 teenagers camping for six weeks all over the state of Oregon in this day?

Her spirit will be missed but not forgotten.

– Becky Hamann

Becky Hamann is a 1971 Graduate. She and her husband, Pete Nillson, manage Becky’s parents’ farm and ranch on the Cove Highway.

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Erros, you taught me so much more than the Earth Sciences by taking me (and usually a few other students) with you in the Travelall scouting out locations for class trips or Summer Science classes.

Few people I know have seen as much of Oregon as those students in your classes. Many in the Willamette Valley think Eastern Oregon is Bend. We are a geographically and geologically knowledgeable bunch.

Working in the Summer Science program for you and Norman Masterson, and with Tim Turner, was the best job I was ever paid for. Who would not enjoy touring our county, going camping in Central Oregon, studying volcanic history, camping at the Oregon Coast for a week, studying birds (and geology) at Malheur Bird Refuge and finishing with a great hike into the Eagle Cap Wilderness for several days.

Mirror Lake is still one of my favorite places, but I don’t think I would make it with a pack now. How did you do it for so long? You had to love it. I know I did, as did my sisters and friends. The Earth Science club was the greatest place for making friends and I think I learned to talk to others, including guys, although I still don’t understand them very well. Because of those meetings and the trips we earned money for, we were able to go the John Day Fossil Beds, go on our annual Mirror Lake hike and go to the Coast over spring break.

I didn’t become a geologist, oceanographer or science teacher, but what I learned during those 2-3 years was with me every time I traveled the Columbia Gorge, drove Boy Scouts to Camp Merriweather or Bend or many of the other places I was fortunate to get to through my sons’ Scout years.

I did teach as I drove ( since I couldn’t stand their music choices) and they asked me to help them with some of the merit badge requirements.. All that knowledge, (or most) of it, came back. I still enjoy watching my surroundings, looking for and identifying birds and flowers, looking at rocks and geological features and finding the lines in the middle of the road. I haven’t hit a ditch, car or rock formation yet.

Lest others think I stopped learning, you introduced me to some ladies and then convinced me to join the Cove Piecemakers Quilt group. I have enjoyed learning so many things from you and I will truly miss you. I know my enjoyment and appreciation for our world was unearthed with your great teaching skills and your care for me as a student and friend. Thank You,

– Brenda Hamann

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Experiences with Mrs. Osterloh – several merit the category of “outstanding,” but I limit myself to sharing two.

The first experience was a link to both 4-H insect club and to the earth science class field trips. My brothers and I were close to the same age, I was Walter Osterloh’s age, and so we were involved together first in 4-H and then together in earth science.

My parents taught 4-H club for the Osterloh’s and Mrs. Osterloh was both science and 4-H for the Hill boys. Mrs. Osterloh was the 4-H insect club leader and we collected insects as a family even taking our displays to the state fair. One of our earth science trips was a day-trip to the John Day Fossil Beds. We were supposed to be there to find fossils. I don’t remember finding any fossils, but whenever we would turn over a rock, there seemed to be a scorpion.

Being insect collectors we had several film canisters or other collection receptacles with us, so we started collecting scorpions. They weren’t really insects, but to young boys they were even better. We must have taken home at least a couple of dozen. When we got home, we carbon-tetted a few of them and mounted them in our insect collections. However, we had more than we wanted.

A few we took to Mr.s Osterloh’s biology class, keeping them in an aquarium-like container, and gave them away. There were two that we decided to have “fight each other to death” on our living room floor. When we dumped them out for this duel, the scorpions did not have the same thing in mind. One went one way and the other another, quite quickly, I must say. I recaptured one quickly, but the other remained at large for a couple of days.

Needless to say, my mother and sisters were the most unhappy. We spend the next couple of days continuing our search, until my brother shook the scorpion out of his pants, at the end of his bed, before he put them on. Recaptured, the drama was over. I remember Mrs. Osterloh being surprised, although understanding, of our interest in these creatures. As with all her teaching it was a combination of understanding the out-of-doors along with the book learning.

The other standout experience that I had with Earth Science Club was going to the Oregon Coast. We went as a class and stayed several days as the Nightingale beach-house. From there we would sally out each day to various sites. The whole trip was an amazing experience.

I had one experience that was unique. We went to the sand dunes near Florence. I was in seventh heaven, racing through the dunes, tumbling, rolling and having a good time. Apparently, I was somewhat self entertained, because when I got back to the parking lot, I found that all of the others had left without me. Apparently, the boyfriend of one of the girls in the car I came in decided to ride back in my place and had failed to advise his former driver to wait for me. There I was, in cutoffs and a tee-shirt (no shoes or money), with only sand in my pockets.

I made my way out to the highway, hoping that a policeman would come by, to whom I could explain my plight. After a half hour or so, I tired of waiting, and decided to stick out my thumb and hitch a ride up the beach. I got a ride quite quickly, and two others in quick succession also. I actually made it back to the Nightingale home shortly after the rest of the group had gotten there and before I was missed.

I don’t know that I learned a lot about science that day, but it was a great lesson in self-reliance and the helpfulness of strangers. It was one of the most memorable experiences of my youth and it wouldn’t have happened without the earth science trip.

I remember Mrs. Osterloh as a wonderful and a caring person. She was always interested in each of us as an individual, and I believe that she truly knew that we loved her too. I never went into the field of true science, although I grew to believe that the scientific method applied to all research and discovery. I believe that the greatest gift that Mrs. Osterloh gave me was a greater appreciation for the world around me, in a way that only she could do.

– Alan Hill

Mrs. “O” (as we called her) was the best teacher, leader and role model. Here we have a science teacher who required “correct” English in our answers to essay questions,counseled us, made us think outside the box, and gave us an appreciation for science in our daily lives.

She led by example.We learned how to cope with blisters on the trail to the High Lakes, eat dehydrated food (back then it wasn’t as tasty as it is now) and learn about many facets of life.

She tried to instill in us knowledge – -not an easy thing to do with teenagers. She gave us practical knowledge that we could share with those around us, our children and our grandchildren. Her legacy is great.

We gazed at stars and planets with her. Now she is one of the shiniest stars in the heaven. She will be missed, but will forever have a place in our hearts.

– Necha (Waite) Murphy

LHS Class of 1969