1918-2008

A memorial dinner will be held at the Lake Superior Brewing Co. in Grand Marais on Saturday evening, March 29, for former Northport resident Nyal Steve Otis of Grand Rapids who died Feb. 17 in Grand Rapids. He was 89.

He was born on July 16, 1918, to Steve and Laura (Brown) Otis. On Jan. 25, 1939, he married the former Dorothy Wieseler who preceded him in death.

He served in the Navy during World War II. He raced hydroplane boats for many years and was the state champion in Wisconsin and Michigan during the 1950’s. He worked as a sales manager for the Thompson Boat Company and held many other sales jobs throughout the U.S. before he opened Otis’s Bait and Tackle in the Traverse City area and Northport. He also enjoyed sky diving, motorcycling and being an annual part of the Grand Marais 24-hour 500 mile snowmobile rally, being the oldest to enter and compete through his 84th year of life.

He is survived by his daughters, Sandra Wilson of Caledonia, Cheryl Mills of Wayland, and Shana Kuhnert of California; a sister, Beth Ellen Ziegler of Wisconsin; 10 grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.

He was also preceded in death by a son, Terry Otis, and a sister.

Cremation has taken place. Emails may be sent to the family at cherylab@chartermi.net or ebowen@jamadots.com.