Concetta Ann Okerstrom

Concetta Ann Okerstrom (Ruggiero), age 82, passed from the loving arms of her family into her Heavenly home with her Lord Jesus Christ on November 9, 2025, in Claremore, Oklahoma.

Concetta, (Chetta or Chett as she was known by many) was born November 18, 1942, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to John and Grace Ruggiero. Concetta was the oldest of seven siblings.

Concetta graduated from Saint Monica Goretti High School in 1960. In 1962, she married Tom Van Horne and moved to San Diego, California and then settled in Joliet, Illinois where they started their family. After many years in Illinois, she moved to Florida where she worked for the Department of Transportation and took a job working on the bridges connecting the island to the mainland… until the department found out she was working on the bridges but couldn’t swim and quickly went into the clerical field. She eventually settled again in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma where she remained and married Gordon Okerstrom later in life.

Concetta loved to spend time with her family and was always involved with church ministry to some capacity. She always had to be busy doing something and helping others any way she could. She was often referred to as the Energizer Bunny because not much kept her down very long and she was always going and going.

Concetta is survived by her son, Tom Van Horne of Morris, Illinois, her daughter, Lisa Ossman and husband Ken of Muskogee, Oklahoma, six grandchildren, Brier Costenaro and husband Zane, Brooke Raimoundi and husband Mauro, Bailey Kelly and husband Gavin, Hiliary Ossman, Alison O’Bryan and husband Nate, and Ben Ossman and wife Hannah, four great grandchildren, Logan Ossman, Ezra Ossman, Avery O’Bryan, and Oliviero “Oli” Raimoundi, her sister, Jackie O’Keefe and husband Jim, her sister, Grace McBride, her brother, Michael Ruggiero and wife Anna, and her sister, Carol Pandola and husband Al.

Concetta was preceded in death by her parents, John Ruggiero and Grace (Palmer) Ruggiero, her sister, Patricia DeMayo, her brother, John Ruggiero, and her husband, Gordon Okerstrom.

Visitation will be from 4:00 – 6:00 PM on Monday, November 17, 2025, at Brown Funeral Home in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. Services celebrating Concetta’s life will be at 1:00 PM on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, at Brown Funeral Home Chapel in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. She will be laid to rest at Fort Gibson National Cemetery in Fort Gibson, Oklahoma.

Family and friends are invited to share memories online at www.brownfamilycares.com. The family of Concetta Ann Okerstrom entrusted her care and services to Brown Funeral Home & Cremations, 231 E. Commercial St., Broken Arrow, Oklahoma 74012, 918-251-5331.