James Alvin Otterbach

James Alvin Otterbach passed away on Tuesday, April 11, 2017, in Roswell, NM. A Memorial Service will be at Anderson Bethany Funeral Home on April 15, 2017, at 3:00 PM. Graveside services will be held Saturday, April 22, 2017, 1:00 PM at Mount Calvary Cemetery, 1900 Edith Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87102. A tribute of Jim’s life may be found at www.andersonbethany.com where you may leave memories and expressions of sympathy for his family. Jim was born in Indianapolis, Indiana on August 3, 1929, to Mary and Alvin Otterbach. The second youngest of 4 siblings, his family relocated to the south side of Chicago when Jim was young. During his senior year of high school, the family moved to Albuquerque. After high school, Jim served in the United States Army as a company clerk. Following Jim’s military service, he returned to Albuquerque where he married his first love, Vivi Rey Haitt, who was affectionally named “Sandy.” Jim and Sandy were married on February 14, 1953, until her passing on May 4, 1980. Jim and Sandy ran a German Sausage Shop in Albuquerque until 1966. When he closed the shop, Jim became a USDA meat inspector. Jim and Sandy had 6 children. On February 27, 1982, Jim married his second love, Leverda Hawthorne of Roswell, NM. Leverda had 3 children from a previous marriage that Jim accepted as his own. The couple resided in Albuquerque until Jim and the family transferred to Plainview, TX, then to Farmington, NM. Jim retired from the USDA in 1994. Jim and Leverda moved to Roswell, where Jim took a part-time job at Reynolds Recycling. Jim and Leverda decided to travel and bought a camper and “ hit the road.” They spent most of their time in Laughlin, NV, where Jim put his social skills to work as a Casino Shuttle Driver. They also spent their summers in Ogden, UT, as camp hosts. In 2007, the couple hung up their traveling shoes and returned to Roswell. Jim wasn’t content sitting around, so he took a job for Taylor & Taylor, managing a storage facility. Jim enjoyed golf, horseshoes, square dancing, playing drums, bingo and winning big at the casino. The most aggravating thing to him was “dying in the monitor”. Surviving to cherish Jim’s memory is his wife, Leverda Otterbach; sister, Julie Jasso of Albuquerque; daughter, Kathy Wilkerson and husband, Don of Albuquerque; and their sons: Jeremy Wagener and his daughter and Christopher Wagener and wife Karen and their 2 daughters, Tommy Otterbach of Venice, CA, and his daughter, Zoe Otterbach; daughter, Terry Maine and husband, David of Albuquerque and their children: Joshua Maine and Jessica Binder and husband David and their 2 children; daughter, Tracy Romero of Albuquerque and children, Michelle Romero and her 2 children and Rico Romero; daughter: Kay Hettick and husband, Todd of Albuquerque and their children: L.T. Hettick and Cassie Salazar and her husband David and their 2 children, daughter, Kim Otterbach and partner, Joyce Smith and children: Terry Barns and Crystal Hidalgo and her child; daughter, Stacy Ware of Roswell and her children: Shelby Cathey and Jadin Ware; daughter, Debi Smith and husband, Fred of Hagerman and their children Brittiany Smith, Chanel Rey and her husband Andrew and their 3 children , A.J. West and his 2 children; mother-in-law Sarah Hawthorne of Allen, TX. Jim also has numerous sister and brother-in-laws. Jim was preceded in death by his parents: Alvin and Mary Otterbach; wife, Sandy; son, Chuck Marson; grandson, Dacoda Smith; and sisters: Lavonne Hamlin and Sis Degulis. This tribute was written in honor of Jim by his family.

James Alvin Otterbach

August 3, 1929 - April 11, 2017