Ella Ottmar

Ella Ottmar died peacefully Friday, January 14, 2005, at St. Luke?s Home, Dickinson. She was 86. Memorial services will be 10:30 a. m. Saturday, January 22, 2005, at First Congregational – United Church of Christ, Dickinson, with the Reverend Ilo Madden, officiating. Inurnment will be in Dickinson Cemetery, Dickinson, N. D. Ella was born April 13, 1918, at home in Willa, N. D. to Jacob and Christina (Sayler) Gunsch. When Ella was eight months old, her mother passed away from influenza. Ella?s father remarried a widow, Katherina Otto, with five children. Ella was raised on a farm with the combined family of 14 brothers and sisters. She attended country school in the small farming community of Neuberg, located north of Burt. In 1938, she married William Ottmar, and together they operated a farm eight miles northeast of Burt, N. D. She was active in the Neuberg Congregational Church and their ladies organizations. In 1957, they moved to Dickinson where they purchased the Star Motel. Ella assisted in the motel operations, managing all of the housekeeping duties. Her husband preceded her in death in 1969. With the help of her son, Gary, she continued to operate the motel. In 1971, she began working at St. Joseph?s Hospital in the Housekeeping Department and retired in 1985. After retiring, she immediately joined RSVP (Retired Senior Volunteer Program) and began volunteering at St. Benedict?s Health Center and at St. Luke?s Home. She loved volunteering and looked forward to helping and visiting shut-ins. Ella was an active and proud RSVP member for 20 years. She also volunteered and loved to sing with the Sing Along Group who performed at the area nursing homes. In 1998, she moved to the Park Avenue Villa Retirement Center where she continued volunteering and met many new and dear friends. She participated in all of the social activities, playing cards, sharing meals, coffee parties, planting flowers and putting together puzzles. She was an active member, for many years, with the Women?s Fellowship at the United Church of Christ First Congregational Church. She particularly enjoyed working with other members on the annual Holiday Bazaar. Ella Ottmar is survived by: one son, Gary (Bonnie) Ottmar, Colorado Springs, CO; three daughters, Marlene (John) Petit, Seattle, WA, Cynthia (Gerald) Fisher, Dickinson, and Bonnie (Scott) Green, Fargo; three granddaughters, Jeannie Fisher, Minneapolis, MN, Sarah Ottmar, Colorado Springs, CO, and Beth Ottmar, Gunnison, CO; one grandson, Brian Fisher, Minneapolis, MN; one brother, Ruben Gunsch, Detroit, MI; one half sister, Emma (John) Ottmar, Mott; two half brothers, Leo Gunsch, Mandan and Theophil (Ted) Gunsch, Ritzville, WA. She was preceded in death by: her parents; husband; sister, Clara Will, two brothers, Reinhold and Arthur Gunsch; and one half brother, Benjamin Gunsch; four step brothers, Andrew, John Albert and Edward Otto and one step sister, Lorentina Hirning. Memorials may be made to: St. Luke?s Home, 242 10th Street West, Dickinson, ND 58601 or RSVP, 22 4th Ave East, Dickinson, ND 58601.


Burial Date: January 22, 2005
Funeral Home Dickinson, ND

Memorial Service: Saturday, First Congregational-United Church of Christ, Dickinson