Elmer Otte

Elmer J. Otte, age 69 of Sauk Centre, died of complications following heart surgery Friday, January 30, 2009 at Abbott-Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis, Minnesota surrounded by his family and friends.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 12 noon Wednesday, February 4 at St. Paul's Catholic Church in Sauk Centre. Interment will follow in the parish cemetery.

Friends may call from 4 to 9 p.m. Tuesday and 9 to 11:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Patton-Schad Funeral Home in Sauk Centre. Parish prayers will be at 5:15 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.

Elmer Otte was born August 17, 1939 in Sauk Centre, Minnesota to Norbert and Verena (Minette) Otte. On September 20, 1960 he married Marlene Poepping at St. Michael's Catholic Church in Spring Hill, Minnesota. He was a life long resident of Sauk Centre and served in the National Guard. He had been employed by Gopher State Hatchery and Sauk Centre Excavating, and for many years part-time for the Sauk Centre Police Department. He worked at Wonder Bread for 35 years, retiring in 2000. After retirement, he was employed part-time by Brown & Williamson Tobacco Company and then U.S. Smokeless.Elmer enjoyed fishing and hunting, especially with his sons and grandsons, and was a very competitive card player. His favorite pastime was spending time with his family.He was a member of St. Paul's Catholic Church, where he served as an usher, Catholic Order of Foresters, and McDonald's card club. He was a Rotary International Paul Harris Fellow.

Survivors include his wife, Marlene "Moe" Otte of Sauk Centre; four children, Jenny (Nick Lies) Otte of St. Cloud, Sandra (Scott) Gray of Huntsville, Alabama, Jim (Deanna) Otte of St. Cloud, and Steve (Jodi) Otte of Lindstrom; nine grandchildren, Christina, Joshua, and Justin Gray, Brandon, Samantha, and Mitchell Haug, Zachary and Nash Otte, and Cole Otte; one great granddaughter, Alana Gray; brothers and sisters, Dorothy (Marvin) Butkowski of Minnetonka, Everett "Butch" Otte of Summerville, South Carolina, Joan Voller of Sauk Centre, Janet (Patrick) Brady of Stillwater, Karen (Roger) Blondell of St. Cloud, Irwin (Valerie) Otte of Daytona Beach, Florida, Will (Gloria) Otte of Sauk Centre, David (Marcia) Otte of Detroit Lakes, and Roy (Sue) Otte of Albertville.

He was preceded in death by his parents; and nephew, Jeffrey Butkowski.

Serving as casket bearers will be Butch, Irwin, David, Will, and Roy Otte, and Greg Thieschafer. Cross bearer will be Joshua Gray. Pall bearers will be Dorothy Butkowski, Joan Voller, Janet Brady, and Karen Blondell. Honorary bearers will be Leander and Fronie Moritz, Dave and Marian Walter, Clifford and Janet Jennissen, Ray and Norma Karasch, Joe and Lori Steinemann, and the Catholic Order of Foresters.