'Bunny' Humphrey Ostlund
'Bunny' Humphrey Ostlund
"Bunny" Humphrey Ostlund, age 75, of Brainerd, died suddenly on Friday, Oct. 22, 2004. Memorial services will be Tuesday Oct. 26 at 3 p.m. at Lakewood Evangelical Free Church in Baxter with Rev. Andy Smith of First Lutheran Church in Brainerd officiating. Friends may visit at the church for the hour prior to services.
Bunny L. Leckband was born Oct. 14, 1929, in Hutchinson, to Ervin and Esther (Sitz) Leckband. As a young child she moved with her family to Lansing, Mich., and then to Brainerd, where she graduated from Washington Middle School. She was united in marriage to Jack "Pete" Humphrey in Brainerd. The couple later divorced, but remained lifelong friends. As her children reached their teens, Bunny began to display her paintings in art shows, opening her studio at home in 1974. In the mid-1970s her paintings were chosen for Northwestern Bell's regional calendar, which established her as a serious professional artist. In additional to showing and selling her original paintings, she taught art at local schools and colleges. Bunny was a member of First Lutheran Church in Brainerd. She was very active in the community and was named "Woman of the Year" by the Brainerd chapter of the National Secretaries Association in 1975. From 1992-2000 she enjoyed serving on the Crow Wing County Soil and Water Conservation Board. For the past two years she had spent the winters in Sun City West with her companion, Paul Reed. The couple enjoyed Caribbean cruise vacations. Bunny never retired and never stopped being actively involved with her family, her community and her art.
Bunny is survived by her children, Pat (Laurie) Humphrey of Pillager; Michael (Dodie) Humphrey of Ramsey; and Mary (Scott) Kotchen of Fridley; siblings Arnie Leckband of Merrifield; and Margaret "Maggie" Ryan of Brainerd; grandchildren Kelly and Molly Humphrey; John and Dan Kotchen, Kassie Heisserer and Skip LaPorte; and loving companion Paul Reed of Brainerd. Her parents and her former husband preceded her in death. Arrangements have been entrusted to Brenny Funeral Chapel of Baxter.