Donald G. Hottes Sr.

Donald George Hottes Sr., 75, husband of Marion T. (Sailer) Hottes of 110 Bayberry Lane, Danbury, died Oct. 23, 2006, at Danbury Hospital.
He was born Jan. 27, 1931, in Newark, N.J., the son of the late Henry and Florence (Doebner) Hottes. He grew up in Brooklyn, N.Y., and on Portland Avenue in the Georgetown section of Redding before moving to Miry Brook Road in Danbury with his family. He joined the Marine Corps during the Korean War in 1952, served two years of active duty and then was in the Marine Reserves until 1960.
Mr. Hottes worked as a wire weaver and machinery mechanic at the Gilbert & Bennett Manufacturing Co. in Georgetown for 42 years until retiring when the plant closed in 1988. He then worked as a driver for Levine Automotive in Danbury for a number of years.
As a young man, he was the mechanic and his late brother, Carl, was the driver of stock car No. 165 at the Danbury Racearena. Mr. Hottes had been a member of the Miry Brook Fire Department and the Danbury Moose Lodge, and participated in bowling leagues at the Danbury Bowlarama, Brewster Lanes and Ridgefield Lanes. Later in life, he and his wife spent weekends and vacations in their RV at the Bonnie Rigg Camping Club in Becket, Mass., and valued the friends they made there.
Besides his wife of 49 years, Mr. Hottes is survived by his four children and their spouses, Suzanne and Bill Cariello of Danbury, Donald G. "Butch" Jr. and Barbara Hottes of Pine Plains, N.Y., Wayne and Kathleen Hottes of Pleasant Valley, N.Y., and Evelyn "Lyn" Hottes and Bill Wisnowski of Danbury; a sister and brother-in-law, Joanne and George Anderson of Brookfield; and a brother and sister-in-law, Kenneth and Roberta Hottes of Ocala, Fla.; and a sister-in-law, Mary Hottes Prause of New Milford. He also is survived by grandchildren Tammi, Wayne, Charlene, Donald III and Christen Hottes; twin great-grandsons Drew and Devin Hottes; several step-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
Mr. Hottes was predeceased by four brothers, John, Eugene, Carl and Richard, and a sister, Florence Hadden.
Cremation and burial will be private. Arrangements are being handled by the Hull Funeral Home, 60 Division St., Danbury.
A reception celebrating his life will be Oct. 30 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Miry Brook Firehouse, 47 Miry Brook Road, Danbury, with Chaplain Robert Faubel conducting a memorial service at 7 p.m.
Donations in his name may be made to the American Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 1131, Fairfax, Va., 22038-1131, or through its Web site, www.diabetes.org.