Edward Benjamin Ostroff

Edward Benjamin Ostroff passed away on February 15, 2025, at the age of 82. He was the son of Dr. Jacob J. Ostroff and Mary Ostroff of Baltimore, Maryland. Ed prepared for a life of caregiving and service at Baltimore City College High School ('59), Washington & Lee University ('63), and the University of Maryland School of Medicine ('67).
Ed met and married the love of his life, Frankie Marshburn of Clinton, North Carolina, in 1968 during his internship at the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond. The couple enjoyed more than 56 years together, including a winter in Rochester, Minnesota, while Ed was training at the Mayo Clinic, two years of service in the U.S. Air Force on Crete and in England, and more than 50 years in Hampton Roads. Together, they raised two boys, David and Ethan. Ed was a constant presence in his sons' lives, from coaching youth sports in Western Branch to traveling across the Commonwealth and the country to watch them play baseball. Riding along with Ed meant enduring his eclectic musical tastes, which spanned from classical concertos and opera to straight-ahead jazz, classic rock, and Delta blues.
Ed practiced medicine in Portsmouth for more than 35 years, including as the Chief of Surgery at Portsmouth General Hospital and Maryview Hospital. Through his decades of service, Ed built meaningful relationships with colleagues and touched the lives of thousands of patients. He charmed them with his sense of humor (a vital tool for a urologist) and brought a scalpel tempered with kindness and compassion to his role as their surgeon. Even as he worked to establish his practice, Ed balanced evenings and weekends on-call with his deep commitment to family. He got up early every morning to make breakfast for his sons and drive them to meet the school bus, and he ensured the family was together for dinner every evening.
Ed was a proud Poppa. He adored his grandchildren, Andrew, Cecelia, and Gerald. Ed's last big trip was to Dallas for Andrew's Bar Mitzvah, a moment he recalled with joy. He loved picking up Cece and Gerry from school, taking them to afternoon Norfolk Tides' games, exploring local bookstores, and spoiling them with treats from his favorite bakeries and ice cream parlors.
In addition to his family and patients, Ed made time to serve the community. He was very active with Temple Sinai in Portsmouth, including serving as Temple President, and spent years volunteering in the soup kitchen at Ohef Sholom Temple in Norfolk.
Ed never met a stranger. Everywhere he went, he found ways to connect with people he encountered. When Ed and Frankie retired to Virginia Beach, their North End community discovered how open he was to forging new friendships, what a great storyteller he was, and how quickly he would swap books and offer restaurant recommendations (along with turn-by-turn driving directions for getting there).
Ed was an avid traveler. Many family trips involved visiting baseball stadiums all over the country timed perfectly for when the Orioles were in town. Over his life, he visited 6 continents (Antarctica never tickled his fancy) and enjoyed experiencing cultures, foods, and people from all over the world. He encouraged his boys to explore the world and to be open to new experiences.
Ed was a life-long lover of sports: lacrosse, wrestling, baseball, golf, football, racquetball, ACC basketball, Premier League soccer, and Formula One racing. Growing up in Baltimore, lacrosse was a passion. He learned the game at The Mount Washington Lacrosse Club. He was a defenseman at City College, where his teams won back-to-back Baltimore City titles, and on the varsity team at Washington & Lee for all four years. The Orioles were his favorite talking point, and Johnny Unitas will always be the greatest quarterback in the history of the Colts' franchise.
One of Ed's favorite spots was in the saddle of his bicycle - usually pedaling toward a bakery or scouting a delicious meal. Recently, Ed swapped his bicycle for an electric trike, which allowed him to continue experiencing his passion for the bike lane and also re-taught him the lessons of a skinned knee. Even up to a few weeks before his passing, he could be seen on his trusty trike heading to the library. He was a voracious reader who loved to be outside with a good book in his hands and good tunes in the air.
Ed is survived by his beloved wife, Frankie, his brother Robert (Eileen), his children David (Jen) and Ethan (Gretchen), and his 3 beautiful grandchildren – Andrew (14), Cecelia (11), and Gerald (9).
A graveside service will be held at Portsmouth's Olive Branch Cemetery on Friday, February 21, at 11:00 am. The family will host a visitation at H.D. Oliver, 1501 Colonial Avenue in Norfolk, on Thursday, February 20, from 5:00-7:00. Livestreaming services may be found during the service time, at https://www.facebook.com/hdoliverfuneralapts
To amplify Ed's dedication to service and love of reading, contributions in his honor may be made to the Ohef Sholom Soup Kitchen or the Virginia Beach Public Library.