Edna Earl Otto

Edna was born on March 24th, 1928, in Hackleburg, Alabama. She passed away September 1, 2018 in Clackamas, Oregon, at 90 years old. She is survived by her seven children, Christine (Larry) Nelson, Sarah Otto, Amy (Don) Revis, Kyle Otto, Beverly (Herb) Davidson, Wayne (Kim) Otto, and Janet (Robert) Pauley. She counted Karla Johnson, Treva Landers and Lee Ann Mauk as daughters. She is survived by two sisters, Sharon (Allen) Tiffany and Gaynelle (Rodney) Smith. Seventeen nieces and nephews, thirteen grandchildren and fifteen great grandchildren. Her husband of 59 years, James Emmet Otto, passed away in 2007. She was the daughter of Steven and Ola Gregg, who preceded her in death. She is also pre-deceased by her sister Carol Yvonne Larsen. Edna attended eighteen schools in her life and graduated from Roosevelt High School as Valedictorian in 1946. As a child she lived in Alabama, Kentucky, Missouri, Iowa, Montana, Nebraska, Oregon, Washington and on a paddle-wheel boat moving up and down the Mississippi River. She married James in 1948. They shared a life of immediate and extended family. A holiday was an occasion and it was routine to have forty for dinner. Edna and James were very active in their Church and helped to found Peace Lutheran Church in Vancouver, Washington. Edna enjoyed participating in the Lutheran Women's Missionary League. Edna and James both enjoyed growing, hybridizing, and showing gladiolas. Edna also organized and led 4-H clubs for her children in gardening, canning and sewing. She taught Stretch and Sew classes at Clark College in Vancouver. She also raised and bred AKC dachshund puppies. Edna worked for Mayflower, Crown Zellerbach, ran her own floral business, specializing in wedding flowers, and did bookkeeping for Gregg Roofing and Kitchen Kaboodle. Her lifelong friend described her as the "hardest working woman I knew." After her retirement, she and James realized a lifelong dream by moving to the Washington Coast and enjoying a slower paced life of selling Edna's handmade Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls at craft shows. They returned to Portland after James was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. After his death, Edna lived in several places near one or more of her children, grandchildren and the growing group of great grandchildren. She went to sleep in Christ on September 1st. Edna lived a full ninety years, but she leaves us all wanting just a little more time. Edna's funeral will be held at Peace Lutheran church in Vancouver, Washington, on September 10th at 11 AM. Burial to follow at Evergreen Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers, the family request donations be sent to Kaiser Hospice or Peace Lutheran Church in her name.

Edna Earl Otto

March 24, 1928 - September 1, 2018