Vera “Ada” Ford Otzenberger of Hermiston, longtime Stanfield resident, died on May 8, 2023 in Hermiston at the age of 89.
She was born on Oct. 30, 1933 in Hermiston to William Roy Ford Sr. and Lola Housden Ford on a farm known as The Ford Brothers, located on the Old River and Bensel Road about 4 miles north of Hermiston.
The Ford brothers had owned and operated the farm since 1926. Ada was the second of six children born on the farm. In October 1943, the brothers sold the farm and moved to smaller farms on the outskirts of Hermiston. The Ford children began attending Hermiston schools in 1943. Ada was in the fifth grade.
Ada was united in marriage to Robert Dale “Bob” Otzenberger on Oct. 17, 1950. She was a homemaker until her children were in school. She then worked for her neighbor sitting her children, ironing, sewing and cleaning. Ada was an avid seamstress. She sewed for her family and friends, as well as making some cheerleader outfits for some of the high school girls.
Ada attended First Christian Church for many years, where she sang in the choir and served as deaconess and on the outreach committee. Ada and her husband went to the nursing home every Sunday for 23 years, where they gathered residents into the activity room for a church service presented by the elders and deacons of the First Christian Church. Ada led the singing, accompanied by the pianist of the church.
One of Ada’s passions was genealogy. She spent hours researching and gathering information and pictures on every branch of the family that she put into books and gave to family members. She also put together an album with stories and pictures of her childhood memories. Ada was as colorful in telling the latest memory when you went for a visit as she was authoring the book itself.
Ada and Bob lived in the country on Feedville Road from 1951 to 2012, when they moved to Sun Terrace Assisted Living. When Bob passed away, Ada moved to the memory care unit at Guardian Angel, where she resided until her passing. She will be dearly missed by her family and friends.
She is survived by her son, Steve Otzenberger (Paula), Stanfield; grandchildren, Eric Otzenberger, Stanfield and Erin Covert (Kevin), Stanfield; and great grandchildren, Seth, Jonah, Emmeline and Elijah.
Ada was preceded in death by her husband; daughter, Laura Ann Quayle; her parents; brother, William Ford Jr.; and her sister, Amy Ford Branscum.
A graveside service will be held on Friday, May 19, 2023 at 10 a.m. at the Hermiston Cemetery.
A celebration of life service will follow at 11 a.m. at the Stanfield Baptist Church.
Please share memories of Ada with her family at burnsmortuaryhermiston.com.
Burns Mortuary of Hermiston is in care of arrangements.
