Robert D. ‘Bob’ Oteham
Dec. 6, 1929-Jan. 30, 2022
Robert D. ‘Bob’ Oteham, 92, of rural Williamsport (Marshfield), passed away at 12:52 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 30, 2022, Ascension St. Vincent Hospital Williamsport.
Bob was born Dec. 6, 1929, in Attica, to the late Luella and Ed Oteham. He attended Attica Elementary and High School. In his early years he worked for his father in the family blacksmith shop. Learning the art of blacksmithing, welding, grinding, cutting and machining. Bob was an exceptional student. He saved much of the money he earned in the shop during high school and paid his own way through mechanical engineering school at Purdue University. During the Korean conflict, he was drafted in to the Army where he became a tank instructor at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland.
Shortly after Bob returned from the service the owners of Harrison Steel recruited and hired him as a young engineer. His first project was to improve the cycle time of the open-hearth furnaces at the factory. Bob came up with his own design for a new higher output burner system that improved the cycle times by 50%. Very shortly after that he was promoted to chief engineer where he worked for 25-plus years. When Harrison Steel decided to go in to the machining business Bob was promoted to the head of machining operations where he spent the remainder of his total of 42 1/2 years with the company.
Bob was a 32nd Degree Mason, a member of the American Legion and a life member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles. He loved living on their 160-acre farm near Marshfield. He farmed the property for a number of years himself. His hobby was making things in his workshop. Bob could design and build about anything he set his sights on.
Bob leaves behind his wife Pat Oteham; daughter Roberta (Bertie Scott) of Williamsport; sons, Wayne (Anne) Oteham of Brownsburg, Larry Oteham (Inna Hammond) of Somerset, Kentucky, and Rex (Holli) Oteham of Otterbein; grandchildren, Rich Miles, Kristi (Brooks) Snyder, Ashley (Kyle) Brown, Norma (Robby) McGehee, Eric (Stephanie) Oteham, Lori Oteham and Lauren (Trey) Miller; great-grandchildren, Carson Miles, Aley Brown, Maezi Snyder, Addy Brown, Calvin Snyder. Robby McGehee Jr., Harry McGehee, Cammie McGehee, Aiden Miller and Maggie Oteham; step-sons, Mike (Jennifer) Cunningham and Matt (Kiersti) Cunningham; step-grandchildren, Dylan Cunningham, Bailey Cunningham, Kate Cunningham and Ben Cunningham; and brother Francis (Carol) Oteham.
Preceding him in death are brother Wayne; sister Joan and (Dan) Tucker; grandson Aaron Miles; and step-son Marc Cunningham.
A gathering of family and friends will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 5 at the Fraternal Order of Eagles, 122 W. Main St., Attica. The gathering will be followed at 3 p.m. with a formal time of sharing and remembrances, lead by his family. Family and Friends Funeral Home of Wingate is assisting the family.
Memorial contributions may be directed to the Attica Eagles.
Visit online at www.familyandfriendsfh .com to sign the guest book or share a condolence.
