Mary Elizabeth Otts

Mary Elizabeth Otts, age 84, of Panama City, FL, passed away on Monday, March 13, 2023, just one day shy of her 85th birthday, and her 68th wedding anniversary.

She was born March 14, 1938 in Lithia, FL to Mary Elizabeth Dillard and Oliver Davis. She was a resident of Panama City for the past 55 years.

Mary attended Bay County schools. She worked in manufacturing for several different companies. She retired as a well-respected employee of The Natural Light, a custom lamp and accessory company in Lynn Haven, FL. While at The Natural Light, she helped organize employee events such as birthdays, Christmas parties, baby showers, and weddings. She also helped cater and decorate venues for weddings alongside her daughters and others.

Mary inherited her mother’s great cooking and baking skills. No one made a better BBQ pork roast, potato salad, greens, or fried cornbread. At Christmas she always baked an apple cake. We all assumed it was good because it didn’t get past our Dad! Many family holidays were spent at her house or second property in Bayou George, FL. We would all haul our friends out at Thanksgiving to eat her wonderful food and play football in the open field near their house. Easter egg hunts with the grandkids were so much fun!

Mary was a caring soul who spoke her mind simply and directly. She loved warm blankets and robes. Mary loved to watch most all sports with her husband Arnold. She possessed an amazing knowledge of names, team, trades, and stats. She and Arnold attended all the baseball games from her son, Ronnie, to grandchildren Matt, Justin, and Daughter Gwyn. She went to see her granddaughter Morgan’s performance in the nutcracker in Orlando, FL. She was there for all the grandchildren’s school events and graduations. She loved her shopping outings with her sister Doris.

She had her own riding lawn mower and loved planting flowers and vegetable gardens with Arnold. She loved the movie “White Christmas”. She loved cream drops and chocolate covered cherries.

There will never be enough words to describe the love we all have for our wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother.

Mary is survived by her husband Arnold Otts, her children Anita Kiep, Jeffrey Otts (wife Darlene), Ronnie Otts (wife Beth), and Gwyn Joseph, her grandchildren Daniel Otts (wife Gina), Matt Kiep (wife Samantha), Sgt. Morgan Otts, and Justin Joseph, her great grandchildren Timothy and Natalie, and her loving sister Doris Dees. She is predeceased by her mother Mary Burch and father Oliver Davis, and several brothers and sisters.

Funeral Services will be held Saturday, March 18th at 11 AM at Kent Forest Lawn Funeral Home, 2403 Harrison Avenue, Panama City, FL 32405. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 10 AM to 11 AM prior to the service.

Interment will immediately follow the service at Evergreen Memorial Gardens, Panama City, FL. Expressions of love and sympathy may be placed and viewed online at www.kentforestlawn.com.

Mary is in a place of great peace, and we are joyful that she is with our heavenly Father, safe and whole in body and spirit.

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