Obituary of Kitty Otto

Diamond Point/Rexford: Kitty Otto (born Katarina Anna Regina Wischhusen), 103, of South Trout Lake Road, passed away peacefully at Samaritan Hospital after a fall at home. Born October 22, 1910 in Bremen, Germany, she was the daughter of the late Anna (Krellwitz) and Friedrich Wischhusen. Kitty graduated from Bremen public school. In 1927, she and her sister emigrated to New York City. After arriving, she found employment at Charles of the Madison and developed a talent for styling hair. For special events, Kitty was chauffeured to homes of actresses to style their hair. She received signed thank you autographs from Kitty Carlisle, Betty Davis, Marilyn Miller, and Barbara Marshall. In January 1929 at a NYC German social club dance, Kitty unexpectedly met Hubert Otto for the second time; the first being in Germany when she was 14. Two years later, she married Hubert, and was married to him for over 50 years until he passed in 1984. In 1948, Kitty and Hubert visited Nellie and Walter Wurzbach in Lake George and fell in love with the area. They relocated from East Greenlawn in 1951 to Bolton Landing, where they bought and developed a small house-keeping cottage resort, “Trout Lake Retreat” on Trout Lake. During this period, Kitty delighted in making vacations memorable for each guest while raising her two daughters. Kitty was an avid volunteer: Girl Scout Leader, taught handicapped children at Prospect School, giving nature tours to Warren County school children, and led the Apalachicola, FL “Save the Bay” campaign. In addition, Kitty had a passion for gardening and collecting buttons and stamps, meeting many wonderful friends through those hobbies. Besides her parents, Kitty was predeceased by her beloved husband, Hubert; her brother, Theodore Wischhusen; and her sister, Nellie Wurzbach. Survivors include her daughters Marilyn Otto (husband, Daniel Dorgan), and Evelyn Baxter; grandchildren, Travis A. Johnson, Benjamin J. Cramer, and Zachary O. Cramer; and great-granddaughter Krystal Johnson. She also leaves behind one niece, Heidi Lewis, a great-niece, Karen Villesvik, and special friends, Marilyn Abraham and Margaret Dunne. Friends may gather to pay respects and celebrate her life from 1 – 2pm, Saturday, November 23, 2013 at Alexander-Baker Funeral Home, 3809 Main St., Warrensburg, NY. A funeral service will follow the visitation at 2 pm, Saturday at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, we ask that expressions of sympathy take the form of donations in Kitty’s memory to The Community Hospice of Rensselaer, NY or Samaritan Breast Cancer Center, Troy, NY. Kitty’s family would like to thank all her caregivers at Samaritan Hospital for their compassionate and loving care. Please visit www.alexanderfh.net for online guest book, condolences, and directions.