Rene Ottoy

Visitation: Thursday, June 26, 2008 at Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home in Miles City.

Funeral services: Friday, June 27, 2008 at 10:00 a.m. at Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home in Miles City.

Interment: later date in the Calvary Cemetery.

Rene Marcel Ottoy, age 94, of Miles City passed away on Sunday, June 22, 2008 at the Holy Rosary Health Center in Miles City.

Rene was born on February 24, 1914 in Bambrugge, Belgium, the son of Alfons and Irma (Van Hemelryck) Ottoy. As a small child, his mother brought him and his older sister out of Belgium during World War I and came to the United States by boat in 1916 where they met up with his father,Alfons, who had come over ahead of them. They settled near Howard, Montana where Rene attended four years of grade school. In 1927 the family moved to Miles City where Rene finished his schooling, graduating from the 8th grade at Kircher School. As he grew up, he always helped on the family farm and was chosen to stay on the farm and work while his two sisters and brother served in the military. He took great pride in his farming and won several top sugar beet grower awards including the Holly Sugar Trophy at the Beet Growers Banquet on December 13, 1957. He was also proud of attended the 4-H Congress in Chicago in 1929. On November 31, 1940, he and Mary Lou Kagels were married and lived on Kircher Creek in the Yellowstone Valley in Miles City. Besides farming, Rene also worked for the county road departments for many years, retiring at age 62. Rene sold theKircher Farm in 1992 and moved to town.

Rene loved farm machinery and tinkering and fixing things. He also loved to go dancing and reminiscing about working and shoveling beets in his younger days. He also loved going for picnic drives and dancing with his special lady friend of 19 years, Effie Preston. He was a member of the Range Riders Museum, AMRPE, and the Sacred Heart Catholic Church.

Rene is survived by a son, Richard (Ren ) Ottoy of Miles City, MT; three daughters: Janet (Don) Wall of Bloomer, WI; Linda Regan of Montrose, CA; and Mary (Wiley) Snell of Miles City, MT; ten grandchildren: Mark Campeau, Chris Loegering, Sean Regan, Mike Regan, Deanna Gee, Jamie Irwin, Jay Irwin, NickOttoy, Joey Ottoy and Casey Ketchum; twelve grandchildren: Nicole, Courtney, Alexandra, Emily,Elissa, Caleb, Elijah, Amanda, Eddie, Rocco,Shellina and Aurora; one greatgreat grandchild, Alyvia Mae; a brother, Albert (Shirley) Ottoy of Miles City, MT; a sister, Betty Feeley of San Diego, CA.

He was preceded in death by his parents, a daughter, Suzanne Messer; a sister, Suzanne Ottoy and a very special friend and companion, Effie Preston.

Should friends desire, memorials may be made to the charity of one's choice.