Roy Walter Osterkamp, the only child of Charles and Emma Osterkamp, was born in St. Louis on August 1, 1912. From the time he was about 4 years old, the family lived at 5215 Lisette Avenue.
Roy met his future wife, Lucille Kurusz, while both were students at Cleveland High School, 4352 Louisiana Avenue. Lucille was born in St. Louis on May 27, 1915, to Henry Kurusz, a barber/hairdresser, and Anna Kurusz, German-speaking immigrants who had left Hungary or Romania (sources differ) in 1907.
Roy graduated from the Washington University School of Dentistry in 1936, and, in the same year, opened a private dentistry practice in St. Louis' Central West End.
Washington University Dental School, Class of 1936
Roy and Lucille married on October 23, 1937 at Memorial Presbyterian Church in St. Louis, followed by a reception at the crystal and french rooms in the Coronado Hotel. The wedding took place shortly after Lucille received a bachelor's degree in education from what is now Harris-Stowe State University. By 1939, they moved to Webster Groves, Missouri, a St. Louis suburb. They gave birth to a daughter in January 1940 and a second daughter in January 1943.
In about 1948, Roy and Lucille moved to Frontenac, where they lived until 2001. They also owned a second home in St. Clair. Both were members of Ladue Chapel Presbyterian Church, 9450 Clayton Road, Ladue, where Lucille was a deaconess.
Roy's dental career extended considerably beyond a standard practice. For example, he was the lead author of "The Etiology and Pathogenesis of Oral Cancer," a 1973 article in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, for which he served on the Professional Education Committee. He also presented papers concerning jaw disorders and the relationship between dentistry and heart problems.
Roy was particularly active with the anti-smoking efforts of the American Cancer Society (where his family asked memorial contributions to be made after his death), serving as, among other things, a Director-at-Large, a Crusade Chairman of the Missouri division and president of the St. Louis unit. He was also Chairman of the Missouri Dental Association Legislative Council, President of the Washington University School of Dentistry Alumni Association, and a Fellow with the International College of Dentists and the Pierre Fauchard Academy.
Lucille became an active community volunteer with groups such as the March of Dimes, St. Louis Children's Hospital and the American Cancer Society. In 1974, Lucille was named a St. Louis Globe-Democrat Woman of Achievement for her volunteer service.
Roy operated his dental office in St. Louis until selling it in 1990, and continued to practice dentistry until retiring in 1993. One of Roy's daughters later told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that "he was just the best" and that "he had very prominent St. Louisans come to him because of his excellency and his work." A friend from dental school, Dr. Otto Hanser, told the newspaper that "he had good dental skills, and he worked well with people," and that "he was just a nice gentleman."
Roy died of recurrent ventricular tachycardia due to cardiomyopathy on February 18, 2002 at Mari de Villa Retirement Center, 13900 Clayton Road, between Chesterfield and Town and Country.
Lucille died in her sleep on March 27, 2002, also at Mari de Villa Retirement Center. At the times of their deaths, Roy and Lucille had two daughters, aged 58 and 55; four grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. Roy and Lucille are buried at Sunset Memorial Park and Mausoleum, 10180 Gravois Road, Affton.
Family
Wife:
- Lucille Osterkamp (Kurusz) (1915-2002)
Parents:
- Charles Osterkamp (1884-1947)
- Emma Christine Osterkamp (Sandvoss) (1884-19??)
Siblings: none
Grandparents:
- Emil Osterkamp (1853-1914)
- Christina Osterkamp (Hanewinkel) (1856-1927)
- Andreas Sandvoss (18??-1897)
- Wilhelmina "Minnie" Sandvoss (Duerkob) (1844-1922)
Greatgrandparents:
- Hicke Osterkamp (1819-1889)
- Caroline Osterkamp (Nicolai) (1829-1884)
- Joannes Heinrich Hanewinkel (1810-1897)
- Josephina Kurten Hanewinkel (1819-1891)
- Mr. Sandvoss (18??-1???)
- Mrs. Sandvoss (18??-1???)
- Christian Duerkob (18??-1???)
- Mrs. Duerkob (18??-1???)
Trivia
Lucille helped create "Confessions of 211 St. Louis Housewives and Bob Hope... Or, What's Going on in Their Kitchens," a popular fund-raising cookbook.
Sources
City of St. Louis birth registry for portion of 1884 (entry for Emma Sandvoss).
1920 U.S. Census Report (entry for Henry Kurusz and family).
1930 U.S. Census Report (entry for Henry Kurusz and family).
"Mrs. Voracek in Bridal Party," Alton (Ill.) Evening Telegraph, Oct. 9, 1937, p. 6.
"Mrs. Voracek in Bridal Party," Alton (Ill.) Evening Telegraph, Oct. 25, 1937, p. 6.
St. Louis City Directory, 1939 (entry for Roy Osterkamp).
Death certificate for Roy Osterkamp.
Obituary for Roy Osterkamp, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Feb. 24, 2002, p. C9.
Obituary for Lucille Kurusz Osterkamp, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, April 10, 2002, p. B4.
Searches on www.zabasearch.com.
Footnotes (including sources)
| ‡ General |
Roy met his future wife, Lucille Kurusz, while both were students at Cleveland High School, 4352 Louisiana Avenue. Lucille was born in St. Louis on May 27, 1915, to Henry Kurusz, a barber/hairdresser, and Anna Kurusz, German-speaking immigrants who had left Hungary or Romania (sources differ) in 1907. Roy graduated from the Washington University School of Dentistry in 1936, and, in the same year, opened a private dentistry practice in St. Louis' Central West End. Washington University Dental School, Class of 1936 In about 1948, Roy and Lucille moved to Frontenac, where they lived until 2001. They also owned a second home in St. Clair. Both were members of Ladue Chapel Presbyterian Church, 9450 Clayton Road, Ladue, where Lucille was a deaconess. Roy's dental career extended considerably beyond a standard practice. For example, he was the lead author of "The Etiology and Pathogenesis of Oral Cancer," a 1973 article in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, for which he served on the Professional Education Committee. He also presented papers concerning jaw disorders and the relationship between dentistry and heart problems. Roy was particularly active with the anti-smoking efforts of the American Cancer Society (where his family asked memorial contributions to be made after his death), serving as, among other things, a Director-at-Large, a Crusade Chairman of the Missouri division and president of the St. Louis unit. He was also Chairman of the Missouri Dental Association Legislative Council, President of the Washington University School of Dentistry Alumni Association, and a Fellow with the International College of Dentists and the Pierre Fauchard Academy. Lucille became an active community volunteer with groups such as the March of Dimes, St. Louis Children's Hospital and the American Cancer Society. In 1974, Lucille was named a St. Louis Globe-Democrat Woman of Achievement for her volunteer service. Roy operated his dental office in St. Louis until selling it in 1990, and continued to practice dentistry until retiring in 1993. One of Roy's daughters later told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that "he was just the best" and that "he had very prominent St. Louisans come to him because of his excellency and his work." A friend from dental school, Dr. Otto Hanser, told the newspaper that "he had good dental skills, and he worked well with people," and that "he was just a nice gentleman." Roy died of recurrent ventricular tachycardia due to cardiomyopathy on February 18, 2002 at Mari de Villa Retirement Center, 13900 Clayton Road, between Chesterfield and Town and Country. Lucille died in her sleep on March 27, 2002, also at Mari de Villa Retirement Center. At the times of their deaths, Roy and Lucille had two daughters, aged 58 and 55; four grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. Roy and Lucille are buried at Sunset Memorial Park and Mausoleum, 10180 Gravois Road, Affton. FamilyWife:
Parents:
Siblings: none Grandparents:
Greatgrandparents:
TriviaLucille helped create "Confessions of 211 St. Louis Housewives and Bob Hope... Or, What's Going on in Their Kitchens," a popular fund-raising cookbook.
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