LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Siegfried Franz Otto died June 1, 2017, just shy of his 80th birthday, after a short battle with pneumonia.

He was born July 30,1937, in Wickede-Ruhr, Germany.

He was an adventurous man, and he often said that he could live almost anywhere in the world and be happy.
 
As a child, he survived World War II. While his village was being bombed, grenades flew through the windows of his family’s home. During the war, he and his brother would often steal apples from the local orchards when they were hungry. Since all of the trees were owned by the government, this could be quite dangerous.
 
In the early morning of May 17, 1943, the British bombed the nearby Möhnesee Dam. As the floodwaters rose, Siegfried hung onto the tail of a large goat while a neighbor pulled him to safety up a hill to a church.
 
As a young man, Siegfried served with the first postwar German army. When the soldiers marched through the streets, little old ladies hung from the windows and shouted, “Go home, boys. No more war!”
 
After graduating from business school and working in the cold-rolled steel business, he decided to see the world.

In 1963, Siegfried said goodbye to his family and sailed from Bremen to New York City. Eventually, he hitchhiked to the West Coast.

With limited English, he found jobs in San Francisco. He was a Fuller Brush and a Collier Encyclopedia salesman. In addition, he spent 10 years working for King-American Ambulance as an EMT. Later on, he was an EMT in Los Angeles during the Watts riots.

While living in San Francisco, he had the chance to play a paramedic in the Clint Eastwood film “Dirty Harry.” He also spent 26 years as a pear and walnut farmer in Lake County.
 
He and his wife, Christie Morrison Otto, were happily married for 47 years. He was a wonderful husband, father and Opa.

He is survived by his wife, Christie; his children, Miriam and Jeremy; the Alois Otto family; his grandchildren, Ben and Vaughn; and many, many friends and relatives. 
 
Before he died, Siegfried said he was going to the mountains. Did that mean that he was going to climb the Passion Play hill, travel to his son’s cabin at Letts Lake or ascend to heaven? One thing we know for sure: His next great adventure lies ahead. God bless him!
 
A Catholic Mass and a celebration of life will be held at St. Peter’s Church in Kelseyville on July 22 at 10 a.m. A reception will follow. Please join us!
 
Donations in his name can be made to the Lake County Passion Play in which he participated for 25 years. Please send them to P.O. Box 386, Lakeport, CA 95435. Donations can also be made to Donor Network West Services at 888-570-9400.

Arrangements by Chapel of the Lakes Mortuary, 707-263-0357 or 707-994-5611, or visit www.chapelofthelakes.com .