Dr. Otto Lefate Howell, Jr., 82 of Marion, formerly of Richwood, died peacefully Thursday, May 19, 2016 at home. He was born January 3, 1934 in Webbers Falls, Oklahoma to the late Otto Lefate and Zelma Mae (Cox) Howell, Sr. He was also preceded in death by four siblings, Jimmy Howell, Fetna Harris, Juanita Mangrum, and Virgie Adams; and a grandson, Joseph Anthony DeSalvatore.
In 1960 he married the former Delores Wharton and she passed away in 1965. On May 14, 1966 he married the former Mary Lee Jividen in the LaRue United Methodist Church and she survives.
Otto was an outdoors man. He loved to garden, golf, boat, fish and farm. He raised the steer that his son Cory won Grand Champion with at the 1983 Richwood Fair. For 12 years he went to Wyoming deer hunting with his sons and friends. He also loved to fish on Lake Erie every chance he got and Rice Lake in Canada. For years the family spent every weekend camping somewhere in the Big Blue Bus.
Otto was a member of The First Baptist Church in Richwood. He was a member of the former Richwood Lions Club, Union City Dental Association, Mt Carmel Lodge #303 F&AM, Aladdin Shrine, AASR Valley of Columbus, and Marion VFW.
Known as Papa to his grandchildren, they were the light of his life. He loved spending time with them and teaching them about their Cherokee Indian heritage. He was very proud of his children and grandchildren and loved teasing them by always offering them a choice of what they would like to do today: Scale a mountain, slay a dragon, or rescue a fair maiden.
After graduating from Muskogee High School in 1951, Otto joined the Navy where he was a dental technician. Otto earned his pre-dental degree from Capital University before attending The Ohio State University College of Dentistry and graduated in the class of 1964. That summer he bought the dental practice in Richwood from Dr. Rodger Russi. In 1999 Otto retired after 35 years of practicing dentistry in Richwood. It was then that he and wife Mary decided to spend some time in Florida, eventually splitting their time evenly between Ohio and Florida.
Otto was a faithful Ohio State Buckeye fan and never missed a football or basketball game. He went to as many games as we could get tickets for, but after retiring, Otto enjoyed sitting in front of the TV watching the buckeyes play.
Besides his wife, he is survived by a daughter, Teresa Dawn (Mark) Harrison, Xenia; three sons, Scott John (Laura) Howell, Macedonia; Terry Alan Howell, Tipp City; Cory Layne (Melissa) Howell, Marcy, NY; six grandchildren, Morgan Taylor and Tanner Layne Howell, Marcy, NY, Spencer Lefate and Eden Quin Howell, Tipp City; Josh and Bella Zak, Macedonia; and a sister, Martha Latta, Raleigh, NC.
Funeral services will be Monday, May 23, 2016 at 11:00 AM at the Stofcheck-Ballinger Funeral Home, Richwood with Pastor Brian Owens officiating. Military honors will be conducted by the Richwood Area Veterans. Burial will follow in Price Cemetery. Friends may call on Sunday from 2 to 6 PM at the funeral home in Richwood.
Memorial gifts may be made to the First Baptist Church, 101 E. Ottawa Street, Richwood, OH 43344 and OhioHealth Hospice, 1000 McKinley Park Drive, Marion, OH 43302.
Condolences and remembrances may be expressed at www.stofcheck-ballinger.com.
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