Robert (Bob) Michael Otis, born in Payne, Ohio, on March 2nd 1929, passed away peacefully surrounded by family, at Sacred Heart Hospital in Eugene, Oregon on December 13th, 2009.
He is survived by his constant companion and soul mate, Lynda Wise; sister Joyce Otis; sons John and Jamie; and daughter Lori Hay; five grandchildren, with many more children he adopted throughout his lifetime, along with hundreds of friends in both the United States and Mexico.
When he was a young child his family moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana, where he grew up. He then moved to California where he began his career in the paper industry. His business career brought him to the Pacific Northwest, where he fell in love with the beauty of Oregon.
When he came to visit his sister Joyce living in Sweet Home, he knew he had found his new home.
He had many accomplishments in his lifetime including being a combat veteran of the Korean War in 1951, where his skill as an artist was utilized by the military to “sketch the agonies of battle on the front lines.” He did not talk of this time in his life often.
He later shared his skill as an artist, volunteering to teach art in Sweet Home, hoping to touch some lives in a positive way. He also used his art skill to design furniture, and two of the indoor bars he designed were purchased by Liberace and Doris Day.
He was also a published author writing several plays and novels. Of his writings, his book, “A Testimony of Lions” was his proudest accomplishment.
With all these accomplishments in his life, it would be a shame not to mention any of his passions. Boats: One of his many boats was a 40-foot Owans that he lived on for 5 years. Cars: His 1949 Cadillac that he literally had to drag out of a barn because the wheels would not turn, he refurbished, and sold it to Warner Brothers for the movie “Lords of Dog Town.” Then there was poker; he could sit all night with family and friends playing poker.
In the eight decades that Robert Michael Otis was with us on this earth he touched many lives as a son, brother, friend, lover, father, grandfather, uncle and father-in-law.
Those of us that he left behind are so proud to be able to brag that he was once and always will be ours; he will be forever remembered in our minds and missed in our hearts.