Obituary of Dr. Harold Ott

Dr. Harold Richard "Otter" Ott, 72, of Boalsburg, PA, passed away on Friday, Sept. 14 at the Mount Nittany Medical Center. Harold was born on September 14, 1940 in Johnstown, PA to Howard and Laverne (Lehman) Ott. He graduated Conemaugh Township High School in 1959. Following high school, he earned a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Science, a Master of Education in Extension Education, and a Doctorate of Education Administration all from The Pennsylvania State University. On May 23, 1964, he married Barbara Barkman of Somerset. They were married for 48 years before his death. After serving as a County Extension Agent in Erie County and an Associate Director of Extension in Mercer County, he accepted a position as Regional Director for Cooperative Extension & Outreach in State College, PA. In all of these positions, Harold worked for The Pennsylvania State University, a tenure that lasted 38 years. Following retirement, Harold and Barbara were active in Lions Club International on local, district, and international levels. From 2002-2003, Harold served as a District Governor for LCI in District 14G. Then, from 2007-09, he served as an International Director for LCI. He was a candidate for President of Lions Club International when he was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Commitment to the betterment of his community—first Penn State and later Lions Club International—was a hallmark of his life and work. He had a charismatic personality and a wide circle of friends around the globe. Harold is survived by his wife Barbara and two children, Karen C. Ball and Brian L. Ott. Karen resides in San Antonio, TX with her husband James Ball and two children, Abigail (age 13) and Annabelle (age 6), where she does interfaith peace and non-violence work. Brian lives in Denver, CO where he is an Associate Professor of Communication at the University of Colorado Denver. Harold has one brother, Carl Ott, who lives in Viera, FL with his wife Jean. The family wishes to thank the staff of ICU and 4th floor of Mount Nittany for the excellent care given to Harold. They also appreciated the visits and prayers from St. Paul's United Methodist Church. A viewing will be held at Koch Funeral Home, 2401 S. Atherton St. in State College, Tuesday, Sept. 18 from 2-4 pm and 6-8 pm with a Lions Memorial Service directly following the 8 pm viewing. A memorial service will be held on Wed. morning Sept. 19 at 9:30 am at the funeral home. The family will hold a private burial and celebration of life at a later date. The family requests that any donations be made in Harold's name to Lions Club International Foundation (LCIF) at 300 W 22nd St., Oak Brook, IL 60523-8842.