Louis Ott II

Louis (Louie) L. Ott, II was born on January 10th, 1930 in Jefferson City, Missouri to Elmer and Pauline Ott. He grew up with his three brothers, Elmer (Sonny), William (Bill) and Tom in the neighborhood of Moreau Drive and Elmerine, on the East side of Jefferson City.

He was very active in school life and was student body president in high school (1947-48), a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity and president of the sophomore class (1949-50) at Westminster College. He also played football and basketball for the Jefferson City Jays.

Lou attended Simonsen High School, Jefferson City Junior College, Westminster College and, after discharge from the Navy, attended Memphis State University. He completed graduate work at the University of Missouri Columbia and attained his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree at the University of Missouri School of Dentistry in June 1961.

He enlisted in the Navy in January, 1951 shortly after theKorean War broke out and served as a Navy Corpsman at the Great Lakes Naval Hospital in Waukegan, Illinois, the U.S. Naval Hospital in Millington Tennessee and shipped out from San Diego on the USS Sphinx ARL 24 in March of 1954. During his tour, the Sphinx visited Yokosuka, Sasebo, Japan, off the coast of Korea and Touran, Indo China. Additionally, from August. 1954 to December 1954, his ship and crew participated in “Passage to Freedom” in Haiphong Harbor, Vietnam. He left the Navy in December 1954 as a 1st Class Hospital Corpsman.

Louis married Betty Rae Jahn on June 14th, 1952, after they originally met on a blind date. They had two beautiful daughters, Laurie and Cindy who were born in 1954 and 1957, respectively. Louis and Betty were married until 1998, when his beloved wife passed away after 45 years of marriage.

Louis practiced general dentistry for 35 years and was an original member of the Bel-Air Dental Association until his retirement in 1996. He was a member of the Delta Sigma Dental Fraternity, American Dental Association, Missouri Dental Association, life member of the Kansas Dental Association, President of the Johnson County Dental Association in 1967 and a member of the Abstract Dental Study Club.

Lou was an avid hunter and fisherman and enjoyed both with many close friends and family. Additionally, he was a Red Cross Water Safety Instructor and taught swimming and lifesaving to many students and coached the swimming team at a local country club during summer while attending dental school.

For many years before and during retirement, Louis was an avid woodcarver. He created numerous, highly detailed duck and goose decoys, along with some birds of prey. Many of his carvings are in personal collections around the world, including homes and businesses in Canada, Newfoundland, Mexico, Germany, Great Britain, Japan and Australia. His carvings often included quotes and thoughts inscribed on their bottoms that shared a bit of Dr. Ott’s philosophy and his love of life and people. He often said, “Who knows, maybe someday someone will pick one up, read the sayings and live by it.”

Louis often talked about growing up with the most wonderful family in the world. He often fondly told stories about his parents Elmer and Pauline Ott, three brothers, Sonny, Bill and Tommy and grandparents Louis and Hilda Ott and Colonel Albert and Rosella Linxwiler.

One of his favorite sayings was, “Everyone’s life is like a novel. Some of it is written by fate. Some of it is written by God. But the part we are ultimately judged by is the part we write ourselves.” Louis ‘wrote’ a wonderful and adventurous life, full of great love for family and friends and we miss him terribly.

He was preceded in death by his beloved wife Betty R. Ott (1998), brothers William A. Ott (1994), Elmer Ott, Jr. (1999) and LCDR. Thomas S. Ott (2001).

He is survived by his daughter Laurie Snyder and her husband Gerald Snyder of Tecumseh, OK; daughter Cindy Ott-Jones and her husband Rick Jones of Ridgway, CO; grandchildren Brian Snyder of Tecumseh, OK and Katie Jones and her husband Alek Jones of Borger, TX.

A Celebration of Life will be held June 14, 2018 from 3-5pm at the Overland Park Arboretum’s Pavilion.  Friends and patients are welcome.

There will be a gathering in Jefferson City, Missouri at Madison’s from 4-6pm, Friday, June 15, 2018, for friends and family. Lou’s ashes will be placed with his loved ones in the Ott family mausoleum at Riverview Cemetery on Saturday, June 16.

Memorials may be made to the Elmer and Pauline Ott Scholarship Fund, Jefferson City High School, 609 Union, Jefferson City, MO 65101.