Willard D. Ottman, age 86, of Lemmon, SD, passed away on Thursday evening, December 14, 2017 at the Sanford Medical Center in Bismarck, ND.

The Rosary/Vigil will be Wednesday, December 20, 2017 at 10:30 a.m. followed by Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 a.m. all at the St. Mary's Catholic Church in Lemmon. Fr. Tony Grossenburg will officiate. Following cremation, burial of Willard's ashes will be at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, December 21, at the Black Hills National Cemetery with Full Military Honors.

Visitation will be from 1:00 to 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 19 at the Evanson Jensen Funeral Home in Lemmon.

Willard Dean Ottman was born on April 15, 1931 at Lemmon, SD to Arthur and Grace (Fulker) Ottman. Willard grew up in the Shadehill SD area, he attended the Shadehill school for 1st through 8th grades, and high school in Lemmon. He attended South Dakota State College from 1951 Through 1954 graduating with a Bachelor's Degree in Animal Husbandry. After college until February 1956, Willard was a Food and Drug Administration inspector in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In March of 1956, Willard went on active duty with the US Army and went to Fort Benning, Georgia. In June of 1956, he was stationed at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas, where he was a staff officer at the Air Defense Artillery School. From September 1958 through December 1959, Willard was deployed to Taiwan as the battalion maintenance officer with the 71st Air Defense Artillery Brigade. In December 1959, he returned to Ft. Bliss, TX. While at Ft. Bliss, he met Pat Armstrong, and they were married August 13, 1960. Shortly after the wedding, they moved to Wurzburg West Germany where Willard was again the battalion maintenance officer. Willard was honorably discharged from the Army at the rank of Captain in June of 1964. Willard and Pat had five children, Willard Jr. at Saratoga Springs NY, Arthur at Wurzburg, West Germany, Stacey and Killian at Lemmon, SD and Gerard at Hettinger, ND. During and after the time they lived in Germany, they travelled extensively. Willard visited 17 foreign country's and all fifty states.

Willards public service continued long after he left the army. He served on the Lemmon city council for eight years, Perkins county commissioner for 23 years, and Perkins County Conservation District Supervisor for 36 years. He was a member of the American Legion Brattvet Green Post 66 where he held numerous local positions as well as District and County Commanders.

Willard was an avid collector of vintage farm equipment and enjoyed showing off his collection at his 'museum'.

Willard passed away on December 14, 2017 at the Sanford Medical Center, Bismarck, ND. He is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Stacey and Miguel Dominguez, Oakland, CA; four sons and daughters-in-law, Willard Jr. and Dawn Ottman, Lemmon, SD; Arthur and Joni Ottman, Hudson, NH; Kilian Ottman, Duluth, MN; Gerard Ottman, Enderlin, ND; six grandchildren, Cody and Ashley Ottman, Dexter, Sadie, and Alan Dominguez and Tracy Lavigne; a brother, Arlen Ottman, Lemmon, SD; two nieces, Dana (Terry) O'Connell, and Faye Carter, a nephew, David (Susan) Armstrong. Willard was preceded in death by his parents and his wife, Pat Ottman.