Timothy Lawrence Ott of St. Louis, Missouri, died peacefully in his Southampton home on May 22, 2026, surrounded by his wife and children.
Born to Carl Joseph Ott and Margaret Kinkel Ott, Tim was the oldest of five children. He grew up in South County, served as an altar server at Seven Holy Founders Catholic Church, and attended Affton High School and Meramec Community College. As a kid, he cherished summer staycations visiting St. Louis landmarks with his parents and siblings. Later, he worked on the floor at a friend’s motorcycle shop on Broadway.
In 1976, he met his true love, Mary Elizabeth Menius, on a blind date at a Marshall Tucker Band concert at the Mississippi River Festival at SIUE. They married in 1979, moved to the city, and welcomed three children: Gretchen (Michael) Hertz, Gregory (Ashley) Ott, and Lauren Ott (Robert Stretch).
He was a family man, committed to his kids. He was known for wrestling in bed on Saturday mornings, shooting hoops in the alley, and guiding study sessions with his trademark question, “Are you asking me, or telling me?” He coached the girls’ basketball teams and loved the outdoors, notably camping and fishing with the scouts, including dad & lad and father/daughter trips. His favorite family vacation was a biennial trip to Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina. His long arms were perfect for digging deep in the sand and burying kids up to their chins.
For his career, Tim worked in the information technology field in the St. Louis area, initially servicing copy machines and later phone systems. He was a master of troubleshooting and solved problems slowly and deliberately. He was cherished by his colleagues and companies as practical, dependable, and friendly.
Those were his busiest years—a balancing act of working and raising three kids—but he met each day with patient wisdom. His fatherly advice ranged from the straightforward (like proper manners at the dinner table) to the unusual (like how to butt a dyed egg at Easter). He guided his children to practice their faith, make good friends, study hard, enter meaningful careers, find love, marry, and have children of their own.
Most would agree, however, that Tim hit his stride in retirement. Tim and Mary traveled the world, visiting Egypt, Europe, and Central America. From river cruises to roadtrips, from weeks-long adventures to weekend getaways, some they shared with friends and siblings, while others they embarked just the two of them, best friends for almost 50 years. Together, they intended to visit every National Park; they made it to 34 in the United States and three in Canada.
But he liked to stay put, too. He loved his long-time neighborhood of Southampton, where he raised his family. He was close to his friends and joined them for Monday Breakfast Club in the neighborhood. He exercised at the Y, or out in the yard, working on the lawn, watering the sidewalk, or barbequing. Or he was in his workshop building things: end and coffee tables, bookcases, and toy boxes. He experimented with different tools and joints, fabricated jigs, and even built a router and table saw housing. He was proud of his woodwork, and his family will treasure what he left behind.
More than anything, his eight grandkids were his pride and joy: Maggie (15), Adam (14), Charlie (11), Grace (9), Ruth (8), Arthur (6), Leo (6), and Walter (4). At family events, “Pops” was the first to sit on the floor and open his imagination to theirs, following their lead and matching their energy—no small feat for a man with two knee replacements. With his grandkids, he bowled in the winter months; in the summer, he opened “H’Ott” waterpark and played whiffle ball in the backyard, or bocci ball on the beach. He loved to attend their events and cheer on their achievements. He was proud to the very end!
In woodworking and in life, he followed one golden rule: measure twice, cut once. He was as careful in his woodshop as he was in all things, quick to share what he knew before every turn. While his family will miss him terribly, he made sure they were ready for what comes next.
In his last couple months, Tim really appreciated all the family and friends who came to visit, all the delicious food, and all the prayers, including rosaries in the living room.
Tim is survived by his wife, Mary; his children and grandchildren; his mother-in-law, Margaret Menius; and his siblings David (Joan) Ott, Lisa (Joseph) Schuermann, Karen (Timothy) Honold, and Lori (Mark) Reisner.
Visitation for Timothy Ott will take place at Kutis Funeral Home 10151 Gravois Rd. 63123 on Friday, May 29th, from 5-8 p.m. The funeral mass will take place on Saturday, May 30th, at 10 a.m. at St. Gabriel the Archangel in St. Louis Hills. He will be remembered in our hearts and with a headstone near his parents and grandparents at Sts. Peter and Paul Cemetery.