Otto Baltrusch Jr.

HAVRE - Otto Baltrusch Jr., 82, a longtime area contractor and farmer, died of natural causes Wednesday at a Havre care cen-ter.
His funeral is 1 p.m. Saturday at the Assembly of God Church, with visitation an hour prior to the service. Burial will take place in Highland Cemetery, followed by a fellowship luncheon at the church. Holland & Bonine Funeral Home is handling arrangements.
Otto went to be with his Lord and Savior on Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2010.
He was born Aug. 23, 1928, in Havre, one of eight children born to Otto and Mary (Achelard) Baltrusch. Otto began farming at the age of 12, when he went to work for Joe Tribe. He started Baltrusch Construction with his first truck in 1948, and had been a successful businessman ever since.
He married Frances Buck in Kalispell, Mont., on Oct. 9, 1954. Together, they made their home in Havre, and raised their four children, Gayle, Gary, Greg and Gerald. Otto had a strong faithful foundation that guided his life, his family, his friends and his business dealings. He was a hard worker who enjoyed watching his "boys" run equipment during harvest and seeding. Otto helped with everything on the farm until his health prevented him from doing so.
Otto was a family man who loved his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was known as the "candy man" by all of the children, as he always had a little treat in his pocket for them. He enjoyed his fellow farmer friends who met for coffee and solved the world's problems around the tables at Wolfer's. Harvest was a very special time of year for Otto.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Otto and Mary Baltrusch; one brother, James Baltrusch; and an infant sister, Dorothy Baltrusch.
Otto is survived by his loving wife of almost 56 years, Frances Baltrusch of Havre.; his children, Gayle (Mark) Flatau of Cle Elum, Wash., Gary (Molly) Baltrusch and Greg (Shari) Baltrusch, all of Havre, and Gerald (Jill) Baltrusch of Eagan, Minn.; his grandchil-dren, Melissa (Nate) Speer and their children Haven and Parker, all of Carlsbad, Calif., Dr. Philip (Kara) Flatau and their son Crew, all of Destin, Fla., Nathan Baltrusch and Ashlee Simoneau of Havre, Nikki (Jarred) Giffis of Kalispell, Mont., Jenna Baltrusch and fiancé Israel Benner of Chandler, Ariz., Kyle Baltrusch of Havre, Mont., and Cameron and Piper Baltrusch of Eagan, Minn.; sisters Mary Jordan of Lincoln, Calif., Gerda (Frank) Round and Ruth (Scotty) Clark, all of Great Falls, and Erna (Bob) Edwards of Kalispell; a sister-in-law, Jeanette Baltrusch of Eugene, Ore.; brothers William (Betty) Baltrusch of Havre, and Carl (Shari) Baltrusch of Kalispell; and many nieces and nephews.
Memorials in Otto's honor may be made to the Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch, 2050 Overland Ave., Billings, MT 59108; The American Diabetes Association Montana Chapter, 3203 3rd Ave. N., Suite 203 Billings, MT 59101; The Northern Montana Care Center Chapel Fund, c/o Ila McClenahan, P.O. Box 1231, Havre, MT 59501; or to the Assembly of God Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 296, Havre, MT 59501.
Condolences may be posted online at hollandbonine@q.com and/or gftribune.com/obituaries.