Billy E. "Otto" Ottinger Sr.

WALKERTON – Billy Eugene "Otto" Ottinger Sr. (Nye) went to be reunited with his wife of forty years, Veronica Fay Ottinger, on December 16, 2024.
Otto was the youngest of ten children to Lenny and Florence (Anglin) Nye in Glendale, AZ on June 18, 1950. His care was surrendered to a friend of the family, Ace Newman, and Otto spent the first seven years of his life on her ranch in Glendale.
His eldest sister, Mary Ottinger (Nye) and her new husband Charles Ottinger legally adopted him at age seven. Charles Ottinger was a technical sergeant in the US Air Force who was stationed at Luke Air Orce Base in Phoenix, AZ. He had been reassigned duty in Japan. Otto accompanied them to Japan shortly after his adoption and resided there from ages seven to thirteen when he returned to the United States, initially living in North Carolina and finally settling in Sale Creek, TN.
He attended Job Corps in California before enlisting in the US Army in 1968. He completed his basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, MO and was then deployed to Vietnam in the 196th Light Infantry Brigade as a door gunner. His service as a door gunner/sharpshooter M14/M16 resulted in a Vietnam Service Medal with one Silver Service Star and one Bronze Service Star as well as a Republic of Vietnam Medal and three overseas bars. He returned home in March of 1970 and, like so many other Vietnam Veterans, was met with underwhelming enthusiasm and criticism.
He settled in Walkerton, IN when he came to visit a friend from the service. He found employment at American Door and he met Veronica Fay Bellinger. They were wed September 23, 1976 and welcomed a son and two daughters.
Otto was employed by CSX Transportation in the latter 35 years of his career and was proud to be a railroader. He prided himself on his staunch work ethic. Otto loved to tell jokes, especially dirty ones. He was an opinionated individual, but beneath the hardened exterior he had an especially soft heart for the "underdogs" in life as he often referred to himself as such. Post retirement Otto and Veronica traveled and spent time with their grandchildren.
Otto was preceded in death by his wife Veronica (Bellinger) of Walkerton; parents Mary (Nye) and Charles Ottinger of Sale Creek, TN; and siblings Michael Nye, Robert Nye, Donny Nye, Rosie Nye, Louise Nye, and Jack Nye.
Surviving children include his son Bill Ottinger Jr. (Amanda Zink) of Knox and two daughters Andrea (Andrew) Ginter of LaPorte and Ashley (Kevin) Moorehead of Bonney Lake, WA. His grandchildren include Paiton and Lauren Ottinger, Henry and Charlise Perry, and Kilian Moorehead. He is survived by one niece Hannah (Ashley) Schroeder of LaPorte and sister Linda (Dennis) Swathwood of South Bend. Also surviving are his two sisters Pamela (Gary) Welch of Spring City, TN and Kimberly (Kerry) Ottinger-Walker of Homosassa, FL.
A Memorial Service will be held on Friday, December 20, 2024 at the American Legion in Walkerton, IN to celebrate Otto's life and the family requests for guests to bring a cherished memory of Otto to share.