We were saddened to learn of the recent passing of Nancy Ostrowski, former Assistant to the Chair of Orthopaedic Surgery. Nancy worked in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery for more than 40 years and we are forever grateful for her dedicated service.
ObituaryOf Highland Park passed away peacefully at home after a two year battle with liver cancer on Saturday, December12th at the age of 73. Preceded in death by her father, John Butterhof, and mother Agnes (Catullo). Beloved wife of Paul R. Ostrowski and sister to Mary Francis Iannacchione (Bob) of Plum, Uncle Raymond Catullo of Pittsburgh, nephew Brad Iannacchione (Carolyn) and great niece Nicole, as well as numerous cousins. Nancy was a 1964 graduate of St. Paul’s Cathedral High School and a 1966 graduate of Point Park University with an Associate Degree in Medical Secretarial Science receiving the Pittsburgh Foundation Award for being first in her graduating class. Nancy’s career began as a Medical Secretary to Dr. Joseph Mazzei, Carlton House, and then at the Rehabilitation Outpatient Diagnostic Clinic at St. Francis Hospital. From 1970-2014, Nancy worked as the Assistant to the Chairman, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh. Originally, Nancy was hired as the Clinical Secretary to Dr. Albert Ferguson and then as the Operations Manager under both Dr. Edward Hanley and Dr. James Herndon . From 1998 until her retirement in 2014, Nancy was the Administrative Assistant to the Department Chairman, Dr. Freddie Fu. Due to Nancy’s forty year tenure, she was routinely contacted by other University’s staff looking to her as a resource on University process and policy and served as the Department’s Historian. Nancy received the 2005 Chancellor’s Award for Staff for Excellence in Service to the University. Nancy had many interests. She and her husband, Paul of 47 years, loved to travel all over the world. Nancy was a sports enthusiast, Pitt Fan, Immaculate Conception girls Basketball Coach, and a PIAA Woman’s Basketball Official. A Celebration of Nancy’s life will be held later in the Spring of 2021. In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully suggests memorial donations be made to the University of Pittsburgh Hillman Cancer Center.