Florence Helen Otto, age 93 of Brainerd, formerly of Delano, died on Friday August 26, 2011 at the Bethany Good Samaritan Care Center in Brainerd. She was born the youngest of 9 children on January 19, 1918 on the family farm south of Montrose, Minn. to Frank and Florence Polingo.
Florence was baptized and made her First Communion at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Waverly. She attended country school in rural Wright County and high school in Delano. She was confirmed in 1933 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Delano. On May 14, 1935 she married John W. Otto. In 1940 John and Florence moved to the Otto family homestead farm which was east of Delano. They engaged in farming there until 1974. While living there, Florence enjoyed sewing, canning and gardening in her many gardens. In 1974 they sold the family farm and moved to Eagle Lake near Brainerd where they lived until 1999 when they moved to the Good Samaritan Care Center in Brainerd. While living in Brainerd they were members of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Deerwood.
Florence was a member of the St. Anne’s Society at St. Peter‘s Catholic Church in Delano for more than 70 years. Florence truly loved her husband, family, the church, the Minnesota Twins, genealogy, gardening, sewing, fishing, playing cards and visits with family and friends. She was particularly blessed with an excellent memory of the experiences in her long life. Florence was preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Florence Polingo, her husband of 70 years, John Otto, siblings, Mamie Gabrelcik (half sister), John Polingo, Catherine (Salonek), Peter, Frank, Mathilda (Gallus), Anthony Polingo, George Polingo and Margaret (Nalewaya) (Hutter), and an infant son. She is survived by her children Jim and Karen Otto of Delano, Richard and Seda Otto of San Jose, California, Helen and Bob Jude of Maple Lake, Ed and Wendy Otto of Buffalo, and Robert and Carole Otto of Brainerd, 19 grandchildren and 34 great grandchildren.
Mass of Christian Burial was held on Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at 11 a.m. at St. Peter Catholic Church in Delano, Minnesota. Interment was in the Calvary Cemetery in Delano, Minnesota.