William Ostrum 
Dec. 25, 1994 
William J. Ostrum, 63, Of Lower Demunds Road, Dallas, Died Sunday In 
Wilkes-barre General Hospital.

By MARY THERESE BIEBEL; Times Leader Social Editor
 Sunday, December 25, 1994 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 1F 





Angelo Ricci is the kind of boss who lets you bring your kids to work when
your babysitter cancels. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 He'll drive through ice and snow to give you a ride. He'll loan you money
to buy a car. He'll share your ups and downs through dates and weddings,
babies and divorces. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; In short, he's more father figure than boss to the six waitresses who work
for him at Angelo's Pizza, a cozy, neighborhood restaurant he's operated for
34 years on Hazle Avenue in Wilkes-Barre. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Donna Sofa, Colleen Mack, Michelle Gasper, Ann Witkowski, Keri Basham and
Michelle Martinelli wanted to find a really special Christmas present for this
jolly man, whom they describe as a cross between the pope and Chef Boyardee. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But what could they give a 63-year-old sweetie who doesn't get mad, even if
someone drops and cracks his expensive cheese cutter? &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 How could they repay him for all those fatherly admonitions -- uttered
musically in Italian -- to be quiet and have patience and remember that the
customer is always right? &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 He already has 25 sweaters he doesn't wear, the waitresses calculate. He
has an abundance of hats and ties. He even has a DeLorean. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Then it came to them -- they could give him a gift of themselves. Each of
the women has agreed to work a shift for free in Ricci's place, to give him
some time off. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Early last week, they said they intended to keep his gift a secret until
the last minute. If they've succeeded, Ricci will learn about the gift from
this newspaper article. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The waitresses even penned this poem in honor of the occasion: &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Merry Christmas, Mr. Ricci. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 What's your gift? Are you getting itchy? &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Merry Christmas Ho Ho Ho. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 A special gift for Angelo. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 A day for rest for our boss so dear. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 At any time throughout the year. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Now if you're wondering what this could be. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 It means you stay home and we work for free. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 With love, your angels from Angelo's in Wilkes-Barre. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

For The Boss Who Has Everything: Work A Free Shift