William Joseph Otto, 80 of Armstrongs Mills, Ohio died Thursday, May 4, 2006 at East Ohio Regional Hospital in Martins Ferry.

He was born June 1, 1925 in Dilles Bottom, Ohio, a son of the late Harry and Josephine Kovar Otto.

He was a retired employee of North American Coal # 3 mine, an Army veteran of WWII having served as a mortar gunner in the European and African Theatre and was awarded the Purple Heart, Good Conduct Medal, 4 Bronze Stars and a Bronze Arrowhead as well as the WWII Victory Medal. He was also a member of the Beallsville American Legion.

In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by his wife, Esther Faye Thomas Otto; daughter Valerie Starr Moore; brother, Richard Otto.

Surviving are three sons, Tobias William Otto, Terrence Lee Otto both of Beallsville and Tracey Joseph Otto of Armstrongs Mills; four brothers, Harry Otto of Dilles Bottom, Robert Otto, of Trenton, New Jersey, Ben Otto of Pipe Creek, Paul Otto of Cambridge; a sister, Jo Ann "Sis" Heatherington of Martins Ferry; 7 grandchildren and 17 great grandchildren.

Friends will be received at the Toothman Funeral Home in Jacobsburg on Saturday from 7 to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 2 to 4 & 7 to 9 p.m. where services will be held at 1 p.m. Monday. Burial follows in Powhatan Cemetery.

Military graveside services will be conducted by the Beallsville American Legion.