Born : 20 Feb 1915
Date : 07 Dec 2007
Location : Calvary Cemetery, Tulsa, OK
OTTERSTROM -Harold Lewis, 92, longtime Tulsan, died Monday night, December 3, 2007, in the arms of his family. His gift to them was in showing, by example, how to be a caring father and a loving husband, who always put family first.
He was born February 20, 1915 in Austin, MN to Charles Otterstrom, a railroad engineer, and his wife, Hilda Ellingson Otterstrom. He graduated from Austin High School where he was active in sports and held awards for his swimming and diving. His lifelong love of music sprang from his early years when he learned to play the piano. As a young man he often played the tuba in Sunday band concerts. He achieved the rank of Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America. During his scouting years he helped build the hiking trails in use today in the Minnesota State Park that shelters the Mississippi headwaters area. Harold studied at MacAlester College in Minnesota before joining the staff of the George A. Hormel meat packing company in Austin, MN.
It was there he met his wife-to-be, Margaret Ann Schemmer of Rock Valley, IA. They married in 1940 and moved to Shreveport, LA, where he continued as a salesman for Hormel. In 1943, the year his first child was born, he was called to World War II where he proudly served in the U.S. Army Air Corps and was stationed in England. He returned to Louisiana in 1945 at the war's end, moving his growing family between Shreveport and Monroe, before bringing them to Tulsa on Halloween, 1952. Recognizing his gift for sales, the company transferred him to Tulsa to introduce the Hormel name and bring its products to eastern Oklahoma. He and his family became active in parish life at St. Francis Xavier Roman Catholic Church from the time of their arrival. He could be counted on by his children - six sons and three daughters - to support them in all their chosen areas of school and recreational activities. Harold was particularly active in parish activities such as Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts, Men's Club, Christian Family Movement and, in later years, the church choir. His children attended Catholic schools through high school; and, the Otterstrom family believes it still holds the title of having the most siblings with undergraduate degrees from the University of Tulsa. He also was proud that four of his sons joined the military, serving in the U.S. Army and the Navy.
Harold is survived by: his wife of 67 years, Margaret, and their nine children: Judy Randle and her husband, Rodger Randle , of Tulsa; Jim Otterstrom and his wife, Karen, of Broken Arrow; David Otterstrom and his wife, E. Dee Tabor, of Tulsa; Russell Otterstrom and his wife, Kitty, of Broken Arrow; Bill Otterstrom of Tulsa; Janice Moeller and her husband, Monty Moeller, of Glenpool; Mark Otterstrom and his wife, Roxie Hutton, of Kansas City; Gary Otterstrom and his wife, Meg, of Tulsa; and Karen Freeman and her husband, Mitch Freeman, of Sapulpa. He is also survived by 24 grandchildren and 12 great- grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, friends are asked to contribute to the Brother Bernadine Scholarship Trust at Bishop Kelley High School or LIFE Senior Services of Tulsa. A rosary will be said for the repose of his soul at 7 p.m., Thursday at Fitzgerald Southwood Colonial Chapel, 3612 E. 91st St. Funeral service scheduled for 10:30 a.m., Friday at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church at East 1st Street and South Atlanta Avenue. Interment, Calvary Cemetery. The Fitzgerald Ivy Chapel, 585-1151, www.fitzgeraldivychapel.com
Tulsa World - Dec 7, 2007
