Obituary of William Otto

Otto, William Henry ~ 1930-2013 ~ Passed away peacefully at Freeport Hospital, Tuesday evening at the age of 82. Beloved husband of 61 years, soul mate and high school sweetheart of Esther (nee Klinck). Father of John (Deb) of Woodstock, Barb of Cambridge, Tom (Julie) of Burlington and Melanie (Warren McNeil) of Elmira. Grandfather of Sarah (Adam Stevenson) of Stratford, Tim (Amy) of Tavistock, Crystal of Kitchener, Shane of Woodstock, Kodi of Cambridge, Rachel (Lance Dejong), Morgan and Carson Otto of Burlington. Great-grandfather of Carter, Tucker and Spencer Otto, and Megan Stevenson. Also survived by his sister Mary Jane (Rodger Seabrook) and nephew Bill, all of Kitchener. Predeceased by his parents Ernst S. and Sarah Bartholomew Otto. Bill Otto was a 3rd generation retail businessman in Elmira; one of the group to invest in the Elmira Shirt and Overall Factory, later named as Park Avenue Wear; co-founder of Elmira Land Development Corp.; a 50+ year charter member of Elmira Lions; 50+ year member of Glenrose Masonic Lodge; 30+ years with the Elmira Agricultural Society and Raceway; fundraising chairman for the Elmira Swimming Pool; and a former lay reader at St. James Lutheran Church. Visitation will be held at the Dreisinger Funeral Home in Elmira on Friday, February 1st from 2 to 5 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. A Glenrose Lodge No. 628 A.F.&A.M. service will be held at the funeral home Friday evening at 6:30 p.m. and a Lions Service will follow. The funeral service will be held in the chapel of the funeral home on Saturday, February 2nd at 3 p.m. Special thanks to Dr. Koke and the wonderful nursing staff in the 4th floor GAU at Freeport Hospital for their kindness and extra efforts in making his final days as calm and peaceful as possible. In lieu of flowers, donations made to the Grand River Hospital Foundation-Freeport Site, Elmira Lions Club or Alzheimer Society of Kitchener-Waterloo will be appreciated as expressions of sympathy. Service Summary Visitation: Friday, February 1, 2013 from 2-5 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. at the funeral home ~ Funeral Service: Saturday, February 2, 2013 at 3 p.m. in the funeral home chapel ~ Donations: Grand River Hospital Foundation-Freeport Site (PO Box 9056 Stn C, Kitchener, ON N2G 9Z9 To donate on-line: www.grhf.org), Elmira Lions Club (62 Arthur St. S., Elmira, ON N3B 2M9) or Alzheimer Society of Kitchener-Waterloo (831 Frederick St., Kitchener, ON N2B 2B4 519-742-1422)