Loretta B. Otting, 97, of Seneca, KS, died late Tuesday evening, January 20, 2004, at Country View Estates care home in Seneca. She had been a resident there since September 1993 when she suffered a broken hip.

She was born June 4, 1906, on a farm north of Seneca, the daughter of August and Theresia Menke Haverkamp. Loretta grew up there, graduated from St. Mary’s Grade School in St. Benedict in 1922, and helped on the family farm. When the family moved to Falls City, NE, she did domestic work there for a short time before the family moved back to St. Benedict.

She married Lawrence Otting at St. Mary’s Church in St. Benedict on January 2, 1929. They lived on a farm in the Ford Community southeast of Seneca for a year. They bought a farm east of Seneca along Highway 36, where they lived almost 58 years. They raised chickens, hogs, geese, a variety of cows, and had horses. In 1986 they moved to Seneca. Her husband preceded her in death on April 23, 1988.

She was a member of Sts. Peter & Paul Church and St. Ann’s Altar Society at the church in Seneca. Loretta helped her neighbors by taking care of their children while they worked outside their homes. She also enjoyed gardening and always had homemade pies and ice cream ready when you visited her. She enjoyed living in town, visiting her neighbors, and walking around town.

Survivors are a son Jerry Otting of Bonner Springs; two daughters, Alice Seitz of St. Marys, and Jeannette Toby of Seneca; two sisters, Alma Clark of Fort Lauderdale, FL, and Cecelia Forst of Decatur, GA; 23 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren; and four step-great-grandchildren.

Besides her husband, she was preceded in death by a son, Robert on April 19, 1993; a daughter, Donna Koehler on July 29, 1995; a grandson, Joe Seitz on January 7, 1989; a great-granddaughter, Katherine Grace Otting in 1998; a brother, Elmer Haverkamp; and three sisters, Rose Koelzer, Marcella Haug and Luella Haverkamp.

Mass of Christian burial will be 10:30 AM Saturday at Sts. Peter & Paul Church in Seneca. Burial will be in the church cemetery. A prayer service will be held at 7 PM Friday at Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca.

Memorials may be given for Country View Estates care home or Sts. Peter & Paul School, and sent in care of the family.