Joseph Alma Ott Jr. passed away on June 28, 2026, in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the age of 87. Born in Tropic, Utah, on October 22, 1938, he was the youngest of six children to Joseph Alma Ott and Mabel Charter Ott.
A graduate of Bryce Valley High School in 1956, Ott set multiple school records in basketball, boxing, and track. He served in the United States Army as a Medic and Company Clerk while stationed in Friedberg, West Germany, following his draft in September 1961.
After his military service, he earned a degree in Business Administration from the College of Southern Utah. His professional career included roles with Union Pacific Railroad and TWA Services, where he managed operations at the Bryce Canyon Inn and Lodge. He also worked at the Wigwam Hotel in Phoenix, Arizona, and served as a bellhop and front desk clerk at the El Escalante Hotel in Cedar City.
Ott eventually settled in Cedar City, Utah, where he raised two daughters and established a career with New York Life Insurance. He was an active community member, serving as Chaplain for the Cedar City Elks Lodge and participating in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
He is survived by his daughters, Cottia Jo Bender and Robyn Lee Ott; grandchildren Victoria and Joseph Bender; Vicky Lyn Nelson; David Douglas Miller; and his second wife, Ann Koehler. He was preceded in death by his parents and several siblings.
Funeral services were scheduled for July 7, 2026, at the Cannonville Ward Chapel, with interment to follow at George Town Cemetery with military honors. In lieu of flowers, the family requested donations be made to the Wildland Firefighter Foundation.
