Otto, Marian M.

Marian M. Otto, 91, of Brooklyn, died Sunday, Sept. 12, 2010, at Continuing Care Hospital Saint Luke's in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Funeral services: 11 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 15, 2010, at the Grace United Methodist Church in Brooklyn, with the Rev. John Dodds officiating. Burial will be in the Brooklyn Memorial Cemetery. The family will receive friends after 9:30 a.m. Thursday until service time at the church. Memorials may be contributed to Grace United Methodist Church, Brooklyn. Kloster Funeral Home, Brooklyn is in charge of arrangements.

Marian is survived by her son, Gary of Brooklyn; her daughter, Renee Otto of Cedar Rapids; a granddaughter, Karlene Gifford of Newton; three great-grandchildren, Elizabeth Rozendaal (Brad), Nathan Gifford and Zachary Gifford; and two great-great-grandchildren, Peyton and Lane Rozendaal, all of Newton.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Eugene; and a brother, Edward Ormiston.

Marian Ormiston was born Nov. 29, 1918, in Brooklyn, Iowa, the daughter of Gavin Michael Ormiston and Anna Jennie Erickson Ormiston. She graduated from Brooklyn High School in 1936, and attended Morningside College and Iowa Methodist School of Nursing. She left college during the Depression and taught in the Madison and Bear Creek Township schools. Marian was united in marriage to Eugene R. Otto on July 17, 1939, in Brooklyn. The couple farmed for many years. He retired in the 1960s due to ill health, but Marian continued until 1988. She also worked as a CNA for more than 27 years at Brookhaven Nursing Home and Friendship Manor.

Marian was active in local and state Farm Bureau organizations. She was a lifetime member of Grace United Methodist Church in Brooklyn, the United Methodist Women, and was a member of the Deborah Rebekah Lodge No. 202 for 73 years. She was a past Noble Grand and served as recording secretary for most of those years as well as other offices at the district level. She loved gardening, especially her perennial flowers. She enjoyed her animals that she raised throughout her lifetime and also was a 4-H leader. Marian enjoyed reading and was artistic and creative. Following her retirement, she traveled with her daughter, visiting Canada, the Scandinavian countries, including the birthplace of her mother's father near Stavanger, Norway. She also visited the British Isles and Scotland, the homeland of her father's family. In the United States, her travels took her to Washington D.C., historic Williamsburg, Va., the Black Hills and Grand Canyon, and national parks including Bryce Canyon, Zion National Park, Monument Valley and Lake Powell/Glen Canyon areas.

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