Kyle McKenzie Otterbein

Kyle McKenzie Otterbein – Loving Husband, Father, Grandfather, Great-Grandfather and Friend
January 5, 1933 – March 23, 2025
Kyle McKenzie Otterbein, a devoted family man, loyal friend, and lifelong sports enthusiast, passed away peacefully on March 23, 2025, in Birmingham, Michigan, at the age of 92.
Kyle was the loving father of Marlen Borio (Ed), Keith (Amy), Cort (Mimi), and Melissa Hess (John), and beloved grandfather of Brent Borio (Maggie), Jordan Borio (Kathryn), Brooke Lynch (Joe), Steven Otterbein (Lisa), Alyssa Binkowski (Clay), Brad Otterbein (Stacy), Kyle Otterbein (Laura), Kelsey Sturgis (John), Keith Otterbein, McKenzie Burns (Pat), JD Hess (Molly), and Olivia DiPonio (Dom). He is also survived by 22 great-grandchildren and was preceded in death by his siblings, Keith Otterbein and Glenna Welch.
Born on January 5, 1933 in Highland Park, Michigan to Alfred and Mary Otterbein, Kyle grew up with a deep appreciation for family, community, and competition. He was a proud graduate of Michigan State University, where he was a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity. After college, he served in the United States Air Force in Ohio before beginning a successful career in the life insurance business in New York. After spending five years living in New Jersey, Kyle returned to the Detroit area to raise his family close to his widowed mother.
Kyle's true passion, however, was his family. He married his high school sweetheart, Virginia "Ginny" Vokes, in 1954 and together they raised four beautiful children. Kyle and Ginny shared 31 wonderful years of marriage before her passing in 1986. Kyle later married Joanne Turner and they shared years of memories and travel until her passing in 2022. He was adored by his four children, twelve grandchildren, and 22 great-grandchildren.
As a young father, he devoted countless hours to coaching his children's sports teams in Lathrup Village, always cheering from the sidelines with unwavering enthusiasm. His love for athletics extended beyond his own children's teams as he was a devoted fan of all Detroit sports teams and Michigan State athletics. However, nothing brought him greater pride than supporting his son Keith's coaching career. For 22 years, he embraced his self-appointed role as a volunteer assistant "head" coach for the Hillsdale College football program, forming lasting bonds with players and staff alike.
Kyle lived life to the fullest, embracing every opportunity for adventure and camaraderie. He loved golf, playing cards, boat rides, and his annual golf trips with his closest friends. He was known for his authenticity, quick wit, and gift for conversation-qualities that endeared him to all who knew him. He would take time to get to know any individual he crossed paths with and loved engaging in conversations on wide ranging topics. He deeply valued the relationships he developed throughout the course of his life and had a way of making people feel loved and valued.
Through his life, Kyle called many places home. He lived in Highland Park, Dayton, Ohio, Plainfield, New Jersey, Lathrup Village, and Bloomfield Hills, before splitting time in his later years between Birmingham, Walloon Lake, and Naples, Florida, where he enjoyed time with friends and family.
Kyle was blessed with a life rich in love, laughter, and friendships. His impact will be felt for generations to come and his memory will live on in the hearts of those who knew him.
A memorial service will be held at Orchard Lake Country Club on April 6, 2025 at 12:00pm. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to a charity of choice in Kyle's honor.