Ottoway Sheared Jr. was born June 25, 1944, in West Helena, Ark. to Ottoway Sheared Sr. and Levesta Wilson.

Ottoway was a 1964 graduate of Eliza Miller Senior High in West Helena, Ark., and then entered the U.S. Air Force.

Following his honorable discharge in 1969, he came to Okmulgee to attend Oklahoma State Tech, where he received a degree in Culinary Arts in 1973.

He married Earnestine Ford on July 8, 1974, and recently celebrated 47 years of marriage.

Otto was one of Jehovah's Witnesses, serving as an elder in the Okmulgee congregation for many years.

Preceding him are his parents; sister Gloria Sheared; brother Allen Sheared; niece, Lakesha Sheared; nephew, Kevin Sheared; sister-in-law-, Regina Sheared; mother-in-law Iola Hill; and brother-in-law Theodore Ford.

Otto is survived by his wife Earnestine of the home; children, Martin Sheared Sr., Pamela Metcalf (Kenneth), Prentice (Barbara) Ford, Patrick Ford, and Marie Ford, all of Okmulgee; and Renea Ford-Adeyemo (Adebowale) of Mansfield, Texas; siblings, Talmadge (Dorothy) Sheared, Curtis Sheared, Etta Mae Skinner, and Barbara Jean Collins, all of Chicago; and Rose Grinstead of Mississippi; 13 grandchildren; six great grandchildren; sister-in-laws Betty Ferguson and Kim Williams; brother-in-laws Earnest Ford, Lloyd (Kim) Durham, Kenneth Williams, Willie Griggs and Walter Wilson; numerous other cousins, nieces, nephews and extended family; and a host of brothers and sisters.