Jan Charles Otto

Jan Otto, age 78, died at home in Boulder of pancreatic cancer on September 7, 2016. He was the son of Charles Raymond Otto and Johanna Huson. He is survived by his wife of 18 years, Joanne Brown Marlatt; two brothers, Jason and Eric Otto; two sisters, Kris Foltz and Jody K'burg; 3 sons, Nathan, Joel and Jan Peter Otto; two step sons, Kevin and Ethan Marlatt; 12 grandchildren, and 1 great-grandchild; as well as former wives Susan Gore and Glenda Johnson. Jan was born in Petersburg, VA, and grew up in Ithaca NY and Newark, DE. He attended Cornell University, graduated from Middlebury College, obtained a Master's Degree in Physics from Dartmouth and an Mba from Harvard University. His career included working as a product design engineer for Ford Motor Company in Dearborn Michigan; teaching math and serving as the vice principle of the Montpelier Vermont high school; logging; owning and operating a saw mill; producing maple syrup; real estate development; working with the Vermont Land Trust to save open farmland from development; business consulting and working as a Harley motorcycle mechanic in Barre, Vermont. Early on he developed a love for motorcycles and travelled alone and sometimes with friends to all areas of the US. In 1998 Jan moved to Boulder to marry Joanne, his childhood sweetheart whom he had tracked down after 40 years. Subsequently he opened Otto Cycle, where he repaired Harleys and provided unlimited coffee and pro bono counseling to many of his customers. After he closed his shop in 2001, he became involved in Boulder city affairs, serving on an advisory board, and acting as the "Rotten Belly" at many city council meetings - a role that he especially enjoyed. In later years he devoted himself to photography, producing some remarkable works of art. Jan had the mind of an engineer; the eye of an artist; the humor of Mark Twain; the vocabulary of the OED; the hands of a skilled mechanic; the listening skills of Freud; the heart of an adventurer; a gift for friendship and a devotion to the scientific method and the Word According to Bob Dylan. He did not suffer fools lightly, but when he loved, it was with his whole heart. He would be the first to tell you that he was far from perfect. But without him, the world is a much less interesting place. Please send any donations to: Honor Hospice, 4251 Kipling St. #405, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033.