A West Seattle patriarch, friend to many, and admired by many, Al Bostrom died Dec. 4 at his home in West Seattle after a stroke. He was 95.

Services are scheduled at 3 p.m. Dec. 28 at Fauntleroy Church, 9140 California Ave. S.W.

Mr. Bostrom was born and raised in West Seattle and attended West Seattle High School, Class of '34. where he starred in basketball and baseball. He attend the University of Washington, where he earned a degree in education.

He joined the merchant marine during World War II and served in the Aleutian Islands. After the war, he taught and coached at Stadium High School in Tacoma.

He became the youth director at the downtown YMCA, where he helped save the Y's Camp Orkila from developers. He met his wife, Pearl, of 64 years.

Bostrom won more than 22 national and international titles, plus two Senior Olympics gold medals. He was inducted into the U.S. Handball Association Hall of Fame and organized and was the commissioner of the Puget Sound Handball League for 28 years. He recently received the National Handball Association's Kendler Award.

The West Seattle Herald has written three stories honoring Al Bolstrom:

1) Al Bostrom receives Kendler Award story here

2) Al Bostrom was a longtime member of the Monogram Club. Read here

3) Al Bolstrom is a community gem here

In addition to daughter Patricia, Mr. Bostrom is survived by his wife, Pearl Bostrom, and daughter Pamela Bostrom, of Kirkland.

The family asks that remembrances be made to the Al Bostrom Young Handball Players Fund, c/o USHA, 2333 N. Tucson Blvd., Tucson, AZ 85716; the West Seattle Monogram Club Scholarship Fund, Box 16408, 4711 44th Ave. S.W., Seattle, WA 98116; or The Fauntleroy Church Memorial Garden Fund, 9140 California Ave. S.W., Seattle, WA 98136.