Ceremony To Honor Late Hatboro Councilwoman

HATBORO, PA —The borough will hold a special bench dedication ceremony Friday to honor the late Councilwoman Aleta Ostrander.

The ceremony takes place at noon Friday at Miller Meadow.

As residents of Hatboro for more than 30 years, Aleta and her husband, Mike, showed their love and passion for our small town through volunteering, borough officials said.

They raised three children in Hatboro, teaching their family to be as involved in their community as they have been throughout the years.

Ostrander graduated from Temple University and worked in the rehabilitation department at Moss Rehab.

In her free time, she dedicated herself to making Hatboro a better place with one of her most notable accomplishments being her service on Borough Council.

Ostrander was first appointed to Borough Council in May 2006 and served until Dec. 31, 2011.

During this time, she served on the Public Relations and Community Information Committee, Public Safety Committee, Finance Committee, and Library Committee.

Ostrander was reelected to Borough Council in 2019 and served a second term from Jan. 1, 2020.

She passed away in December 2022.

During her recent council term, Ostrander chaired the Public Safety Committee, chaired the Facilities Committee, served on the Public Works Committee, and served on the Pennypack Facility Steering Committee.

Ostrander always had the best interest of Hatboro in mind and worked extremely hard to keep her community safe, enjoyable, and thriving, borough officials said.

She also devoted herself to helping transform the newly acquired Pennypack Facility and spearheaded the dedication of the Community Center in memory of long-time Librarian Harriet Ehrsam.

Outside of Borough Council, Ostrander volunteered with the Hatboro Emergency Management Team and served as the president, vice president, and treasurer of the Union Library of Hatboro. Her love for community welfare did not end there.

Ostrander was a long-time member of the Red Cross and was a Girl Scout leader for eight years. She was also a long-time member of Heart 9-11, an organization that helps rebuild after natural disasters and assists communities who have fallen into poverty overseas.

"Aleta’s selflessness and kindness made a lasting impact on the Hatboro Community and all those around her," officials said. "Her love for Hatboro and bettering our community were truly unmatched. This memorial bench will remain in Miller Meadow for years to come and will provide a place for residents to unwind as they enjoy everything Hatboro has to offer — just as Aleta loved to do."