Remembering Gene Otten- “I’d have to say Grandpa loved his family the most.”

“On behalf of the Otten Family, thank you again for writing a piece on my grandpa’s funeral service. We’ve all very much appreciated and gotten a kick out of the other posts you and the good people of Barton have written both on the Washington County Insider and the Facebook group. It’s been so wonderful to read the memories over the past few days.

I’ve attached the reflection my cousin Sophia Dramm gave at the beginning of the service (see below). It truly embodies how my dad, my Aunt Lynda and all of us grand kids feel about Gene and being a part of his family.”

My grandfather was a special man. He was kind, generous, devoted, holy. All of these things came from his incredible ability to love. He loved his dear friends, his church, the customers at his grocery store, his brothers from the Knights of Columbus, the strangers he met on the street – and his family. To describe my Grandpa in one word would be “loving.” Of course, you all know that, and that’s why you’re here. You had the honor to be loved by the wonderful Gene Otten, and are returning the love today.

Not to be biased, but I’d have to say Grandpa loved his family the most. I mean, he said it before every meal, “Thanks dear Lord for Sue and family.” I was blessed to have been a part of Gene’s family as his granddaughter for nineteen years – nineteen years too short.

Besides loving, Grandpa was always incredibly proud of us grandchildren. He was especially amazed by our intelligence, with four of us at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and one at Marquette University, and always loved the fact that we all went to Catholic high schools. Grandpa always called us “wizards” at school and often wondered exactly where our smartness came from, claiming it was “not from his side.”

When Grandpa was proud of us, you could literally see him glowing with pride. There were two times when I knew Grandpa was especially proud of me. One time was when I got accepted to UW-Madison, which he didn’t realize for a good five minutes because he couldn’t hear me on the phone. The other was when I performed a lead role in “The Nutcracker” ballet, which he called “The Woodpecker.” In those times, Grandpa was so happy for me that I felt his love at its very strongest.

Of his family, Gene loved his wife, my grandmother, Sue, the absolute most. He had so much devotion to her. (Actually, the last time I was up here reading was for her funeral in 2009.) Every day since her death, Grandpa visited Grandma’s grave, praying, crying, watering flowers, visiting other family members. He went every single day. If that’s not commitment, then I don’t know what is. Though they were divided on Earth after her death, he made sure they remained united by heart. But now, they have been reunited. Though there’s not a time that goes by when I think of my grandma and miss her, and now my Grandpa, I can honestly say that I feel at peace knowing they are together again.

All of us here have been touched by my grandpa’s love in some way. Though he’s not with us anymore, I think we are all certain he is now in a better, more beautiful place with some of the people he loved the absolute most. Thank you for coming to celebrate his life.