Nancy Lou (Johnson) Otto

Nancy Lou Otto, 84, of Berlin Township, passed away Sunday morning, January 7, 2024, at Firelands Community Hospital after a brief illness.

She was born October 31, 1939, in Erie, Pennsylvania to Captain John and Goldie (Horvath) Johnson. She was a lifelong resident of Berlin Township living on the shores of Lake Erie.

She was a 1957 graduate of Berlin Heights High School. In high school, she was on student council, class vice-president, a member of the Future Homemakers Association (FHA), and majorette in the Erie County Band. She was also a staff member on the school paper and yearbook, Homecoming attendant, FFA Queen, and basketball scorekeeper.

Following high school, she graduated from The Northern Institute of Cosmetology in Lorain. She was employed at the Erie County Bank in Vermilion as a bookkeeper until she married Ned Otto. She worked with her husband in the family greenhouse business while raising their four children.

In later years, she worked at Fanny Farmer Candy in Norwalk for 19 years. Following their closing, she worked at Cedar Point for 15 years as a supervisor in guest services.

Nancy was an avid basketball fan and became famously important in the community, serving as Edison High School’s basketball scorekeeper for over four decades.

Starting her scorekeeping duties as a freshman in high school at Berlin Heights, Nancy resumed scorekeeping for boys’ and girls’ basketball at Edison High School for an additional 39 years. In March 2015, The Northwest District Board honored Nancy and presented her with a plaque for her dedication. She was nominated by her coaches and chosen to be the Official Scorekeeper for the Ohio Girls’ State Tournament Games in 1991. Nancy cherished her sports career of 43 years and at the age of 77, she retired from basketball scorekeeping in March 2017. She felt it was time to slow down and spend more time with her loving family.

She would miss all the wonderful people she met throughout her career, but she had fond memories of them. She was ready to start the next chapter in her life.

Nancy was very talented and enjoyed gardening, cooking, baking, reading, traveling, sewing, knitting, music, and playing the accordion. She was a gracious kind lady, living a life of love, patience, strong faith, gratitude, understanding, and traditional values. She was a very giving person who had a heart of gold. She would always greet people with kind words and her beautiful smile. She enjoyed the simple things in life.

She was active in the Christian Women’s Club, Church Choir, 4-H advisor for Erie County, Edison Athletic Boosters, Edison Music Boosters, and a member of the Berlin Heights HS Alumni Association.

In addition to Nancy’s parents and her husband Ned, she was preceded in death by her brother, John T. Johnson, and nephew, Troy Johnson. 

Ned and Nancy were high school sweethearts. They were married on September 24, 1960, in the United Methodist Church in Huron where they were lifelong members.

Together they proudly attended their children’s and grandchildren’s school events. They looked forward to talking and spending time with their family on a daily basis and were grateful for these times. Their grandchildren and great-grandchildren meant the world to them.

They are survived by their daughters, Kris (Kevin Demuth) Wilson of Berlin Heights, Julie (Richard) Bernard of Centerburg, and Kara (Jim) Jones of Mooresville, IN; son, John Otto; grandchildren, Justin Wilson, Jillian Wilson, Derek Wilson, Trevor Jones, Ariel Jones, Taylor Jones, and Juliet Bernard; great-grandchildren, Camden Wilson, Lakyn Wilson, Callie Wilson, Madeleine Wilson, and Daxton Wilson; Ned’s sister, Dianne Woodson of San Diego, CA; Nancy’s brothers, Ronald (Lori) Johnson of Huron and Terry (Patty) Johnson of Huron; as well as numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.

To honor Ned and Nancy, a celebration of life will be held on Saturday, July 20, 2024, at the Berlin Heights Conservation Club, 12217 Chapin Rd., Berlin Heights, OH 44814, from 1 – 6 PM.

A Basketball Scholarship has been established at Edison High School for the Nancy Otto Memorial Scholarship. Those wishing to contribute to the Nancy Otto Basketball Scholarship at Edison High School may do so by making checks payable to the Citizenship and Education Foundation and referencing the Nancy Otto Memorial Scholarship in the memo line. Checks can be sent to C&E Foundation c/o Nancy Otto Memorial Scholarship, 140 S. Main St., Milan, OH 44846. 

Foster Funeral Home & Crematory, Huron, is assisting the family. Online condolences may be shared at www.fosterfh.com.

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