Death of Park Resident

Long time Park Place resident Jim Otto died on June 19. Jim was one of our most cheerful volunteers since he and Jane arrived in Troy many years ago. The couple were instrumental in Little Italy community activities and were often the first to arrive for set up and the last to leave after clean up. Although Jim was easily fatigued in recent years he never lost his commitment to our neighborhoods. He will be missed by many. Our condolences to Jane.

His obituary from the Albany Times Union:

James "Jim" W. Otto, 79, died June 19, 2021, at home of complications from myelodysplastic syndrome, a bone marrow malfunction. His wife, Jane, was by his side. Jim grew up in the Cleveland, Ohio area, studied two years at Phillips Exeter Academy, two years at Princeton University, and then qualified for the Marine Aviation Cadet (MARCAD) program. After serving in Vietnam as a helicopter pilot with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron (HMM) 261, he attended Ohio State University to continue studying math and computer science. In the 1970s, Jim and Jane served nearly four years as Peace Corps volunteers in Nairobi, Kenya, where he worked as a computer programmer and systems analyst for national surveys. That experience led to a career offering technical assistance in survey data processing to many sub-Saharan African countries. Jim loved staying active outdoors; he was an avid reader with an impish sense of humor. He will be fondly remembered and missed by family, friends, and former colleagues here and abroad. Per Jim's wishes, his body was cremated. A celebration in his honor will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, those wishing to remember Jim in a special way may make a donation to the American Red Cross, 33 Everett Road, Albany, NY 12205 or Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York, 965 Albany-Shaker Road, Latham, NY 12110 or Mohawk Hudson Humane Society, 3 Oakland Avenue, Menands, NY 12204. To sign the guest book, light a candle or view the complete obituary, visit www.brycefh.com.