Dates

• Usage: 1942 - 2023

Biographical Note: Al Osterud

Al Osterud (1942-2023) worked for Northwest Airlines for over 20 years in a number of positions.

Allan "Al" Lee Osterud was born on September 1, 1942 to Kenneth and Dorothy (Wellington) Osterud in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He had two sisters, Grey and JoAnn, a well-known stunt pilot. By 1950, the family had relocated to Seattle, Washington, which is where Osterud spent his formative years. He graduated from Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington and then earned his master's degree from the University of Washington in Seattle.

After college, Osterud began working for Northwest Airlines (NWA) and relocated back to Minnesota, until he was drafted in 1967. He served in the army for 2 years at posts in Germany and the United States. After his service, he returned to NWA. Over the next two decades, Osterud held a variety of positions with NWA, including managing in-flight services, helping to computerize flight schedules, and working in the accounting department as both a Certified Management Accountant and a Certified Internal Auditor. After Northwest, he worked for Gage marketing in the accounting department.

Osterud married Drucilla Ann Gnagey (1943-2025) on December 30, 1967. The couple had two sons. Osterud was very passionate about Marx toy trains and was a long-time member of the Lakes and Pines division of the Train Collectors Association, including serving as treasurer and president. He also loved repairing and restoring Studebaker cars, and owned several over his lifetime. Al Osterud died on October 15, 2023, in St. Paul, Minnesota.

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