Gerald Lee Otte, 58, died Sunday, June 29, 1997 at his home in Blair from complications resulting from a malignant brain tumor.

Services will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at First Lutheran Church. Family graveside services will be at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday in the Blair Cemetery.

Visitation will begin at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Campbell-Aman Funeral Home with family visitation from 6:30-8 p.m. The casket will be closed at the funeral home.

Otte was born in Omaha, Nov. 7, 1938 to Russell and Alice (McArdle) Otte. After his graduation from Valley High School in 1957, he attended Midland Lutheran College, graduating in 1961 with a bachelor of science degree. In 1967, he received his masters degree in education and in 1971, received his specialist degree in education administration. He taught social studies in the Arlington School System from 1961-1964; coached football and track and was assistant baseball and basketball coach. In 1964, he moved to the Blair School system where he taught social sutdies and was track coach for four years. He was principal of Blair High School from 1966-73 and in 1973 became assistant superintendent for Blair Community sSchools. He served in that capacity until becoming superintendent in 1979. He married Dianne Hinrichs in 1960 at Sidney, Neb.

He was a member of Phi Kappa Delta, North Central Accreditation, Nebraska Schoolmasters Association, Nebraska Council of School Administrators, and was past president and a member of Nebraska State Superintendent Organization. He was a member of the Blair Lions Club and was past president for two separate terms. He was also a member of First Lutheran Church and was a past president of the congregation.

Survivors are his wife, Dee; two sons and a daughter-in-law, Mark and Starlyn Otte, David City, Neb. and Eric Otte, New York City, N.Y.; one daughter, Laura Otte, New York City; two grandchildren, Morgan and Corinn Otte; his mother and her husband, Alice and Eugene Whiteaker, Fremont; four sisters, Virginia (Mrs. Loyd) Jensen, Waterloo, Neb.; Joyce (Mrs. Marvin) Petersen, Fremont; Patricia Whiteaker, Washington, D.C.; Kathy (Mrs. Steve) Sarada, Denver, Colo.

Memorials may be given to First Lutheran Church.

~~~Obituary courtesy of the Nebraska Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Public Library, Blair, Nebraska~~~

FindaGrave # 8553078