Peter Philip Ottmer
On May 9, 2024, Peter P. Ottmer, beloved husband, father, and grandfather, passed away peacefully in Osprey, Florida at the age of 79 with his loving wife, Jean Ottmer, and three children at his side.
Born on October 10, 1944, Peter grew up in Slinger, Wisconsin. An earnest scholar and fiercely competitive athlete, he earned his bachelor’s degree in Classics from the University of Wisconsin in 1967 where he also was a member of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC). Peter continued his scholarly pursuits earning a Juris Doctorate degree from Marquette University in 1970.
Following his legal studies, Peter entered upon a 20-year (10 years Active Duty) Army career. Those years were primarily in litigation, both criminal and civil, while serving in Virginia, Alabama, Germany and Italy and included obtaining an LLM in Government Contracts at George Washington University, which led to time with the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals.
After leaving the Army, Peter practiced civil contract litigation briefly in Chicago before joining Lockheed Martin, where he practiced first in Colorado, then in Maryland and Albuquerque for 20 years, focusing on Defense, Aerospace, Information Systems, and finally the U.S. Energy Department’s nuclear affairs.
As his final work chapter, he and a few colleagues purchased two small Lockheed subsidiaries and focused on contract and regulatory negotiations with worldwide customers and their overseeing government offices. He spent the last part of his career enjoying practicing in Asia, Europe, and Russia.
Peter was a great family man, someone who loved his wife, his three children, and eight grandchildren. He felt strongly about the importance of family and kept in close contact with far-flung relatives throughout his life. As he grew older, Peter’s sharp legal and business presence gave way to his role as Grandpa, where he shared his love of music (especially opera!), soccer, storytelling (some of them true), and a late-in-life passion for golf with his family and neighbors in The Oaks in Osprey, Florida. He also was a lifetime dog-lover and proudly showed off his beloved Max I, Max II, and Max III (two goldens and, lastly, a Goldendoodle) to anyone they encountered.
He was a lifelong learner, enjoying taking classes at St. John’s College in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and the University of California Berkeley Haas School and debating politics and world issues with friends. He loved traveling, taking an Around-The-World trip with National Geographic after retiring and riding his Harley Davidson around the country to see old friends and find the best fly fishing. He was also a car enthusiast, finally purchasing his dream car, a 1940 Mercedes-Benz Cabriolet, which he proudly drove his grandchildren around in on sunny Florida days.
He will be greatly missed by his family, friends, neighbors, and former colleagues, but his legacy will live on in the countless lives he touched. Peter is preceded in death by his parents Louis and Mary Jane (Kauth) Ottmer, and his brother, Louie Ottmer. He is survived by his beloved wife of 55 years, Jean (Gibson) Ottmer, and his children, Matt Ottmer (Megan McLean), Nicole Ottmer Saunders (Dan), and Sean Ottmer (Kate McCalmont). Together, Peter and Jean shared eight grandchildren: Alex, Charlotte, and Erin Ottmer; Cassidy, Jackson, and Colton Saunders; and Claire and Eliza Ottmer. He is also survived by his sister Mary Jude Swartz (Ed).
A private celebration of life will be held in June 2024. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Tidewell Hospice in Sarasota, Florida, the American Cancer Society, or a charity of your own choice.
