John Edward Ott

John Edward Ott
March 30, 1925 - August 28, 2017
 "Nothing of God dies when a man of God dies"
John (Hank) Edward Ott, a beloved man of few words, but great faith, who set an example by his deeds, and worked hard and prayed even harder, met his Savior, Jesus, face to face on August 28, 2017.  Born on March 30, 1925, he was 92 years old
Hank kept his marriage vows, loving, honoring, providing for and taking care of  his wife of 68 years, Audrey Gall Ott.  Together they lived most of their lives on Cabbage Hill in Etna, PA, where they raised their 2 cherished daughters, Leslie (Roger) Griffith and Jody (Rich) Coombs.  He adored his 2 grandsons, Brandon and Garrett, and wholeheartedly welcomed their wives, Jessica and Natalie, into the family.  He treasured  his great granddaughters, Annie, Rachel, and Penelope.  Hank and Audrey spent 10 happy years living at Willowbrook Christian Village in Delaware, OH.  More recently they lived in Raleigh, NC, at the Gardens at Wakefield.
Hank grew up in Glenshaw, PA, the son of John Hainey and Amelia Mattern Ott, older brother to Charles Ott.  He graduated from Shaler High School and served in the Navy during WWII on the US Flasher, a submarine defending the Pacific rim off of Australia.  After the war he returned to Glenshaw, got married and worked as a streetcar driver in Pittsburgh.  He then joined US Steel, where he finished his career as a blast furnace foreman at the Universal Works.
Hank was one of the founders and a manager of the Etna Girls Softball League.  He taught his daughters and many teenage girls to work hard and display good sportsmanship, which resulted in many championships throughout his coaching career.
Along with his wife, Hank gathered one of the finest personal collections of early American primitive furniture and antiques. They travelled extensively throughout eastern PA, into New England searching for the best, most authentic antiques available.  They bought for their own collection and for their business, Cabbage Hill Antiques, located in the Wexford General Store, Wexford, PA.   Hank was a master carver, woodworker, and furniture refinisher.  His hobbies also included gardening, bird watching, collecting early American tools, and working jigsaw puzzles. 
Hank passionately loved the Lord and faithfully attended Allegheny Center Alliance Church where he first learned about having a relationship with Jesus Christ.  He served throughout the years there as a Boys’ Brigade leader and an elder.
According to his wishes, Hank’s body was given as an anatomical gift to Duke University for research.  Memorial contributions may be made to Allegheny Center Alliance Church,  250 East Ohio Street, Pittsburgh, PA, 15212.
 
 

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