Funeral services for Elizabeth Otto, age 82, of Elgin, ND will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, June 16, 2011 at the Hope Congregational Church in Elgin. Pastor Bill Bradley will officiate with burial in the Hope Congregational Cemetery in Elgin.


Serving as casketbearers are Devin Otto, Jason Otto, Jacob Schily, Stephen Mandeville, Joshua Schily, Ken Kelly, Sam Schily, James Hanson, Jim Keller, Jack Sauter, and Will Crabb. All family and friends are considered Honorary Bearers.


ELIZABETH (BIFFERT) OTTO was born on August 2, 1928 to Samuel and Elizabeth (Landsiedel) Biffert. She was the youngest of seven children. Her mother died giving birth to her, so her father named her Elizabeth after her mother. Shortly after her birth, Elizabeth was given to Jake and Josie Luethle as a foster child. For six years she was known as Florence Luethle. She was never legally adopted. She returned to her father's home where she grew up in the Hebron area of North Dakota, where she acquired her modest education.


On April 4, 1946, she married Albert Jacob Otto, a young man from her community. They took up farming south of Elgin, North Dakota, where, except for a couple of years (1955-1957) absence due to Albert's health, they lived on the farm until 1980 when they retired to Elgin. Although they turned the farm over to their eldest son, they continued to be actively involved in the operation of the farm they loved.


Elizabeth accepted Christ as her Savior at an early age and was an avid Bible reader/student throughout her life. She instilled in her family the Christian values that meant so much to her. She was an active member in the churches that she and her husband attended. She taught Sunday school and Daily Vacation Bible School for many years. When she could no longer handle the teaching responsibilities, she continued to serve as an assistant. Nothing in life gave Elizabeth greater pleasure then to share her faith with her family, friends, and others.


She served her community by volunteering to fix hair at the Care Center in Elgin during her retired years.


Elizabeth passed away on Tuesday, June 7, 2011 at the Lakeview Care Center in Firth, NE.


She is survived by her four children, Sylvia (Gayle) Mandeville, Hickman, NE, Glen (Patsy) Otto, Trego, MT, Connie Schily, Elgin, ND and Mark Otto, Lemmon, SD; 12 grandchildren, Stephen (Nikki) Mandeville, Benita (Ken) Kelly, Corinna (Will) Crabb, Nicole Gislason, Jason (Brandee) Otto, Bethany (Jack) Sauter, Niomi (Jim) Keller, Samuel (Jen) Schily, Jacob (Salina) Schily, Charity (James) Hanson, Joshua (Kyla) Schily, Devin Otto; 32 great-grandchidlren; one sister, Elsie Gunsch, Hebron, ND; and one brother-in-law, Leo Gunsch, Mandan, ND.


She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Albert; one daughter-in-law, Peggy (Mark) Otto; three grandchildren, Dustin Otto, Nathaniel Otto and JoAnn Otto; three brothers, Max, Alfred and Adam Biffert; and two sisters, Cinderella (Leo) Gunsch and Viola (Ted) Gunsch.


Visitation will be on Wednesday, June 15, 2011 from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Evanson-Jensen Funeral Home in Elgin and one hour prior to the services at the church on Thursday.