Matt Otte, 86, Stevens Point, a retired Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) official and a former Stevens Point alderman and Stevens Point Journal sports editor, died Wednesday, April 25, 2012, at Ministry St. Michael’s Hospital in Stevens Point.
A memorial service was held Monday at Woodlands Church in Plover, with the Rev. Brian Berg officiating.
Visitation was at Boston Funeral Home in Stevens Point Sunday and at the church Monday.
Condolences may be offered online at www.bostonfuneralhome.net.
Mr. Otte was born Sept. 8, 1925, in Sheboygan, a son of the late Cornelius and Adrianna (Van Stelle) Otte. He attended grade schools in Sheboygan County at Weeden’s Station, West Oostburg and Lima Center. He attended Sheboygan Falls High School for three years and graduated a year later, in 1943, from Oostburg High School.
After attending Central College in Pella, Iowa, briefly, he joined the U.S. Navy in November 1943. He was assigned to officers training at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind.; at Central College in Fayette, Mo.; and at Notre Dame University in South Bend, Ind. He graduated from Notre Dame in 1946 as an ensign with a bachelor of naval science degree. After serving in the Navy an additional year, he finished his college education at Hope College in Holland, Mich., graduating with a bachelor of arts degree in 1948.
He began his professional career as a sports and news reporter for the Kaukauna Times in 1948. He moved to the Twin City News-Record in Neenah in 1949.
He was married to Mary Patricia Rasmussen in 1950.
The couple moved to Stevens Point in 1951 when he became sports editor of the Stevens Point Journal. In 1957 he became associate sports editor of the Wausau Record-Herald.
His newspaper career ended in 1958 when he joined the staff of the WIAA in Marinette. When the WIAA offices moved to Stevens Point later that year, he returned to Stevens Point. He became associate director of the WIAA in 1964 and retired in 1992 after more than 34 years with the association.
Mr. Otte served eight years on the Stevens Point Common Council from 1964 to 1972. He was a volunteer from 1992 to 2010 at St. Michael’s Hospital. He was active with the Senior Olympics program from 1991 to 2009.
Survivors include his wife; two sons, Steven (Debbie) and Robert, both of Stevens Point; two daughters, Patricia (George) Ladecki, Hatley, and Amy (Scott) Townsend, Whiting; two sisters, Edna Mae (Walter) Wenhold, East Bethany, N.Y., and Gloria (Larry) Opgenorth, Oostburg; one brother, Clifford (Haleta), Sheboygan; two grandchildren; four stepgrandchildren; and four great-stepgrandchildren.
He was also preceded in death by one son, James; four brothers; and one sister.
