Funeral Service for John Ottmar, age 96, of Mott, ND will be Saturday, January 4, 2014 at 10:30 a.m. at the Mott Evangelical Communtiy Church in Mott. Rev. Ed Billock will officiate and burial will follow with Full Military Honors at the Sunnyslope Cemetery in Mott. Visitation will be from 1:00 to 8:00 p.m. with a Family Service at 8:00 p.m. all at the Mott Evangelical Church on Friday, January 3, 2014.

John Ottmar was born on November 30, 1917 to Jacob and Christina (Bauer) Ottmar on the farm his parents homesteaded north of Burt, ND. He worked on the farm with his father and brothers until 1936 when he served for 6 months in the Civilian Conservation Corps in the Bryce Canyon area of Utah.

On September 11, 1941, John married Emma Gunsch at the Neuberg Congregational Church where both the Ottmar and Gunsch families attended for many years. John entered the Army in May 1942 and served in the European Theater in World War II until December 1945.Their first daughter, Claudia was born while John was serving in the Army. After his return, they purchased a farm (near the original homestead) where they raised their family.

John farmed until 1960 when he placed the farm in the Soil Bank Program and worked as a hand with neighboring farmers. He drove a school bus route for 22 years retiring in 1984. He also worked in the painting business with brother, Albert and later with Edmund Bertsch and eventually his own business. John and Emma moved to Mott in 1975. He was active in the start up of the Mott Evangelical Community Church and remained a devout member. John and Emma enjoyed many years of family travel and events with their ever growing family. He moved to the Good Samaritan Society Nursing Home in 2009. John and Emma were married for 68 years when Emma passed away in 2010.

John passed away on Monday morning, December 30, 2013 at the Good Samaritan Society Nursing Home in Mott, ND.

Grateful for having shared in his life are his; son, Maurice (Colette) Ottmar, of Bismarck; daughters, Claudia (Mert) Bentz, of Mott, Sharon Ottmar, of Bismarck, Corliss Laib, of Bismarck, Mavis (Taylor) Jarnagin, of Durham, NC and LuAnn (Tom) Fries, of Gillette, WY; 7 grandsons, Burnell (Jackie), Kevin (Lesley), Terry (Nicole) and Alan (Darla) Bentz, Donovan (Chauntal) and Damian Laib and fiance Janet Thiele and Jarred Fries and fiance Devon Fichter, 7 granddaughters, Joleen (Kurt) Waldbillig, Tosha (Steve) Overby, Dana Laib, Krista (Tyler) New, Janell (Joshua) Richardson, Allison (Dan) Phipps and Rachel Jarnagin; 16 great grandchildren, Erika (Josh) Anderson, Justin, Jenessa, Tristen, Ashley, Sydney, Alexis and Chandler Bentz, Jordan, Jarin and Jalen Sprecher, Rylie and Jacob Overby and Brayden, Logyn and Carsyn New and one great-great grandchild, Caleb Anderson; sister, Martha Reich, California, brother, Ben (Bette) Ottmar, Bismarck, ND; sister-in-law, Edna Ottmar, Minot, ND and a brother-in-law, Leo Gunsch, Colorado and many nieces and nephews.

John was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Emma, son, Stanley, sisters, Emma Heinrich and Clara Gunsch and his brothers, Jacob, William, Albert and Otto Ottmar.