Ralph Leslie Otto

Published 9:05 am Monday, February 12, 2018

1921 – 2018

After a long, rich and vibrant life, Ralph Leslie Otto passed away on February 5, 2018 in Bend, Oregon. Ralph was born in Chicago, Illinois, on October 4, 1921, and was baptized in the Congregational church. He graduated from Fenger High School in 1938 and just a few years later was drafted into the military, assigned to the 104th Army Infantry Division.

On Christmas Day, 1943, he married Frances Beezhold Otto in Los Angeles, California and was soon sent to Europe. The following October, while fighting the Germans in Cologne, Germany, he was blessed with the birth of a son, James Russell Otto.

While in the 104th he was a member of the intelligence section and observed enemy troop movements and positions from the battalion observation post. Ralph was wounded in Germany and spent six months in hospitals in England and the USA. Among his several medals are two Purple Hearts. He was discharged in 1945 from Wakeman Convalescent Hospital, Camp Atterbury, Indiana.

Returning to California, Ralph went to work for the Los Angeles Unified School District, retiring after 32 years. His daughter, Bonnie Jane, was born in Los Angeles, California, in 1946. After retirement, Ralph and Fran moved to Arkansas and opened a stained glass business where they designed, constructed, and installed church windows. Ralph and Fran lived a life of adventure, much of it on the open road. They made many friends in campgrounds and square dance halls across the U.S.A.

Wherever Ralph and Fran lived, they were always deeply involved with the work of the church they attended. Ralph held no prejudices of any kind, ready to help anyone in need, including turtles taking their time crossing the rural roads of Arkansas. Married to Fran for more than 74 years, Ralph was a kind, gentle, and loving family man to her, his loving daughter Bonnie Jane, six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren, all of whom adored him. He was preceded in death by his son, James, who died of melanoma in 1998.

A military service is planned for a later date in Portland, Oregon.