A Funeral Service for Richard E. Otto of Badger, MN will be held on Saturday, April 27, 2024 at 2:00PM at Helgeson Funeral Home in Roseau, MN. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the funeral home. Interment will take place at Badger City Cemetery in Badger, MN.
Richard Emil Otto was born on September 17, 1936 in Cavalier County, ND to LeRoy G. and Dorothy (Graham) Otto. After moving to a farm near Badger, MN, Richard graduated from the Badger High School in 1955. Richard met his future wife Sandy in 1958 during a summer conference at Bethany Fellowship in Minneapolis where he attended college. He and Sandy dated while attending Bible College and got engaged in 1960. They had plans to go to the mission field and went to the headquarters of WEC (Worldwide Evangelization Crusade) in Pennsylvania. Richard was asked to stay and teach linguistics while Sandy went to Portugal for 9 months to learn the Portuguese language. They were planning to be missionaries in Portuguese Guinea, West Africa. After Sandy returned from Portugal, they were married August 30, 1964 at the Evangelical Free Church in St. Louis Park, MN. Their plans for the mission field didn’t work out so they remained in Minneapolis where Richard worked in a manufacturing plant. Their first son, Stacy, was born in December, 1968 and their second son Todd was born in February, 1971, both in St. Louis Park, MN. In September of 1971, Richard and Sandy moved to his family farm near Badger, MN where Richard worked at Northern Upholstery and then went to work at the seed house in Badger in 1974. Their youngest son Bert, was born in January, 1975 in Thief River Falls, MN. They bought and moved to their final home in Badger in 1979. Richard worked for Norfarm Seeds for 18 years before going to work for Polaris in Roseau and retired in 2000. He taught the 55-Alive Safe Driving Course for AARP for 21 years. He drove a bus part-time for Roseau County Area Transit and worked part-time at Wally’s Supermarket, Doug’s Supermarket, and the Roseau Holiday. Richard and Sandy were active members of the International Christian Fellowship Evangelical Free Church just across the Canadian Border near Piney, Manitoba for many years before moving to the revitalized Badger Baptist Church where Richard enjoyed producing the monthly church calendar. Richard lost his beloved wife Sandy on June 22, 2018.
Richard was an avid coin collector. He loved traveling, gardening and working on projects as well as playing cards and dominos with Sandy and friends. He also enjoyed keeping records and researching the Otto family tree.
Richard was loved by all who knew him. He was called home to be with his Lord and Savior on Monday, April 8, 2024. Richard is survived by his three sons Stacy; Todd (Eunice) & grandchildren Todd II, Jordan, & Tiffany; and Bert (Rachel) & grandchildren Jacob & Kayla; and his siblings Earl, Ella, Arthur, Dorothy, and Delores. He is preceded in death by his parents; his wife Sandy; siblings Leroy, Walter, Elsie, & John; Brothers-In-Law George Rundle and Larry Metsala, Sisters-In-Law Leona (Osse) Otto and Marlene (Hinshaw) Thern, Daughter-In-Law Kathleen (Foizie) Otto, and Grandson Sean Otto.
Last modified: 04/15/2024
