Ostoin, 'Big Daddy' to Many at Salem High School, Remembered

A memorial service for Salem High School Principal Gerald “Jerry” Ostoin, who died Oct. 3, will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17, at Schrader-Howell Funeral Home in Plymouth. He was 71.

He leaves a legacy of fierce dedication to Salem High School, where he had served as assistant principal and principal for 34 years before his retirement in 2008.

Former students and the staff he worked with remember him as a friend and mentor.

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Jim Wheaton told Hometownlife.com that he and his buddies were “attention seekers” who sometimes caused trouble.

“He pulled us aside and said he was going to redirect our energies,” Wheaton told the newspaper, adding that “The Bongo Boys,” a pep band Ostoin created was the result.

“He had us playing bongos and cow bells,” said Wheaton, who played drums for the group. “Every Friday night we had a job. He then gave us some money after the games to go and have some fun. We usually went out to eat.”

Both Wheaton and his former classmate and fellow member of “The Bongo Boys” credit Ostoin’s influence as a reason for their choices to become teachers. Both are social studies teachers at Salem.

“He meant a ton to all of us,” Silvester said. “He was at school at 4 a.m. He put in at least 70 hours a week and probably the same on the weekends.”

Former Plymouth-Canton Community Schools Superintendent Jim Ryan said Ostoin was “one of my idols.”

“He really taught me the wonderful things that make up the educational park,” Ryan said.

His mailbox at the school was labeled “Big Daddy,” according to his obituary, which called it “a fitting title for a man who was a father to hundreds of teachers, staff members and students.”

“Jerry had a great passion for Salem High School and was truly admired by staff and students,” according to the obituary. “The love he felt for his school was returned by the fierce loyalty of his staff.”

“He really knew who he was. He knew what his strengths were. If he didn’t have an expertise, he would find people who were good at that,” former Salem English teacher Cyndi Burnstein told Hometown life, adding he was “the best principal you could have.

“He was a tremendous innovator,” Burnstein said. “He was creative and loved expressing himself.”

Ostoin was born in Wyandotte and graduated from Roosevelt High School. He attended Ferris State University, Wayne State University and earned a bachelor of science degree in education from Eastern Michigan University. He went on to earn his master’s degree in secondary curriculum and administration from Eastern Michigan University.

He began his career in 1967 as a high school teacher and later became anassistant principal at the junior high in Willow Run Public Schools. In 1974 he came to Plymouth-Canton Community Schools as an assistant principal and was principal of Salem High School from 1986 until his retirement in 2008.

Ostoin is survived by his wife of 20 years, Janet Loy-Ostoin; daughter Megan, stepdaughter Nicki Williams D’Onofrio, stepson Mark Williams along with their spouses; four grandchildren;and a brother, Keith Ostoin.

Visitation will be at the funeral home, 280 S. Main St., from 1-3 p.m. prior to the funeral.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Plymouth-Canton School District’s Educational Excellence Foundation, 454 S. Harvey St., Plymouth, MI 48170, or online at www.eefforkids.org.