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<div>Carol Lou Ostroff, 74, passed peacefully on February 22, 2026, in the home she loved so deeply. On the day she died, she spoke of her gratitude for her home and for the life she had lived, expressing a profound sense of contentment.
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<div>Carol was born on August 30, 1951, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Mary and Charles R. Kershaw. She grew up in a family that cherished time in the garden, a passion that would shape her life and inspire all three Kershaw siblings to pursue work in horticulture.
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<div>In 1976, Carol and her beloved Gerald “Geege” Ostroff, set out for California in a sparkling new blue GMC van, eventually making their home in Santa Barbara. They began their life in Santa Barbara as caretakers at the Community Environmental Council (CEC), tending the gardens at the Gilde Center. When she first arrived, Carol worked as an EKG technician in the Pulmonary Department at Cottage Hospital, while living on the CEC grounds and caring for the garden, which led her to realize that her true calling was working with plants to help and heal others.
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<div>Carol and Geege were married in 1978 while visiting family in Philadelphia, a joyful year that also saw both of her brothers married. At the CEC, Carol propagated plants, cared for the gardens, and shared her knowledge through wreath-making classes and a beloved study group known as the herb circle, where she taught about organic gardening and medicinal plant properties. She also began selling wreaths, plants, bath salts, at the Tuesday and Saturday Farmers Market. Carol’s famous salve remained in high demand and was always made with love as the final ingredient.
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<div>Carol studied with Hanna Kroger who learned herbalism in Turkey. Carol shared a deep knowledge of native plants and their medicinal value in her arsenal of tinctures, salves, homeopathics, teas, and other herbal remedies and was often called to use the plants around her. Carol believed in our intrinsic nature to heal the body through diet and what’s around you.
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<div>In 1979, her passion and skill led her to the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, where she joined as a gardener. Soon after, Geege and her brother Dave also became part of the team. Seven years later, as Carol prepared to welcome her first child, while living in the historic Gane House in 1986, the site for the Pritzlaff Conservation Center on the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden grounds. In 1988, they moved into the house below, where they welcomed their second child. To this day, Geege continues to work for the garden and live in the same home.
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<div>Carol’s life was marked by an unwavering devotion to caring for others. While her children were in grade school she helped care for the school garden. She shared her knowledge of the healing power of plants, offered prayers, and opened her home to anyone in need. Many found comfort at her kitchen table, sitting with her over a warm cup of chai and her steady, generous presence.
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<div>Carol is survived by her husband, Geege; her children, Ariel and Robin Ostroff; her brother, Dave Kershaw; and her niece and nephew, Tim Kershaw and Julie Smith.
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<div>Thank you for the love &amp; support. Donations will go to paying for the celebration of life and funerary costs. 
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In Loving Memory of Carol Ostroff

<div>Please help the Furstenfeld Family after a tragic house fire.

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<div>We are setting up a Go Fund Me for our dear friend Jake and his family who have been displaced from their home.

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<div>On the afternoon of May 27th, Jake, Nicole, Grace, Sandi, and Tatyay lives were turned upside down. They lost their house due to a house fire. While we are beyond grateful that the family is safe. They currently have no home, clothes or personal belongings, everything has been lost.

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<div>We would like to ask if you could help in any way to assist them rebuilding their lives over the next couple of months. We are asking for help to provide them hope during this difficult time.

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<div>Any help would be greatly appreciated for this amazing family.

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Support the Furstenfelds After Tragic House Fire

<div>Help support our dear friends Pam Soffer and Alex de la Peña, long-time residents of the Palisades who lost their home in the California fires. Together with their family, they’ve been a steady and generous presence in this community for years, always giving to those around them. Now, they’re navigating this unimaginable loss and are deeply grateful for any support. They’ve also shared that if you know of someone in greater need, please prioritize them. But as we know, even $5—whatever feels right—can make a difference when we come together.
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<div>The funds will help Pam and Alex get through this difficult time.
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<div>With love and gratitude,
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<div>Victoria Larkins and Alexis Arling
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Help Pam Soffer & Alex de la Peña Rebuild Their Lives

<div>This summer, my mom Edith saved her brother, my tío Angel, from being homeless in LA and sleeping on cardboard boxes. As soon as she found out he was sleeping on the streets, she jumped to action, and thanks to her, he is safe.
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<div>In the fall of 2020, tío Angel got COVID and has suffered from long COVID since. Already epileptic, it worsened his symptoms, and he is no longer able to get by without a caregiver and is unable to work. I can't get into all the details or the drama, but due to unfortunate circumstances, he wasn't getting proper care, and even though it is greatly impactful due to lack of space, time, and finances, <strong>my mom is now his primary caregiver.</strong>
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<div>Living away from family and in a high cost of living city in California isn't working long term. <strong>We are hoping to raise enough funds to move my mom and tío up to Washington State to be closer to the support of family.</strong>
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<div>Our goal is to raise enough funds to cover the cost of:
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<div>• Moving (i.e., U-Haul, gas, food, motel)
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<div>• 1-3 months of rent to allow them time to get on their feet and for my mom to find a job
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<div>• Covering a couple of months of expenses like car insurance and phone bill
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<div>• Helping with some medical expenses for tío Angel
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<div>I know that hard times are all around and there are so many important causes to send funds to. <strong>If you are able to send some my family's way so that they can begin a new chapter with more support, we would be so, so grateful.</strong>
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Help Edith and Angel move closer to family support

<div>*UPDATE* Insurance has denied Elizabeth’s claim on her house as she did not hold flood insurance. The amount that it will require financially to replace not only her home but all of her belongings in it is huge. Please continue to donate. 
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<div>As Hurricane Helene left its wake of destruction in WNC, it has left many like Elizabeth with an unbelievable task of trying to identify next steps after complete destruction of their home. Liz is a single mom, labor and delivery nurse, and nurse mid-wife student (soon to be graduate). Thankfully Liz and her daughter Natalie were able to escape their home just hours before it was completely submerged with water. As a result, their house is in a complete state of destruction as are their belongings. As a long-time friend of Liz I would love to see some funds raised for her and Natalie as they navigate these difficult next several months.
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Support Liz and Natalie After Hurricane Helene

<div>Biking to work through southeast Portland on a Friday morning, a Dodge Ram 3500 decided to no-signal merge across my lane, taking me and my bike out as it did so. As if one bold move wasn’t enough, the driver then decided to leave the scene and let me foot the bill for the damages. Five days in the hospital later, my femur’s been reconstructed - plates, screws, and surgical mojo holding it all together. My mind’s beginning to settle down; to reel itself back in from the incredible pain… The recovery process is beginning. I wouldn’t know until I left the hospital, but my beautiful bike wasn’t so lucky. It took at least as much truck as I did, crushing the frame in the process. Our final ride together.

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<div>Calling Portland home as a year-round bike commuter has its sunny days and it’s not so sunny ones. I love that it does. I smile thinking about the dumping-water-out-of-my-shoes days just like I smile about the flower-petals-blowing-in-the-breeze ones. That’s to say ‘being out in it’ is the way for me. Turns out, on this particular morning, ‘being out in it’ would come spine-tinglingly close to ‘being ended’. I’m grateful to have survived, and with a bit of luck, the coming months will see me working my way back to 100%.

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<div>Any contribution here will help me weather this rude and unexpected setback, cover my medical expenses, replace my beautiful bike, broken glasses...  and hopefully come back stronger than I was before. Thanks for taking the time. See you out there :)

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jan smith

jan smith

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