On July 21^st, 2021, God called Katherine E. Otts home, and she stopped what she was doing and peacefully responded.

Born to Hazel Brown and Arthur Goode on December 28, 1932 in Richmond, Virginia, and raised in Petersburg, Virginia, by extended family members, Katherine Elizabeth Otts worked as a cook in the family’s restaurant until the tender age of 16 when she relocated to Washington, DC, where she met and married a good old country boy, George Otts, who was the love of her life, a dog trainer for dogs who failed police academy training, and a loving father. Afterwards, the newlyweds moved to South Carolina and lived with family before returning to Washington, DC where Katherine began working as a cook for the popular 51 Restaurant as her husband worked as a District of Columbia Sanitation Crew Chief while raising six children together. 

Katherine and George were a formidable couple and loving parents who loved to laugh, dance, listen to oldies music, and share what their blessings with others in need in the community.  Looking back, I can only recall one time my parents argued.  The cause of the argument – Bruno who was a large mixed Wolf/German Shepherd and one of the six dogs my dad had trained to guard the home and protect us.  You see, Bruno entered protect mode snarling at mom and would not allow mom to discipline her children.  Well, Katherine was not having none of that!  She issued an ultimatum – either the dog goes, or she will take the kids and leave.  After a couple months alone, dad retrained Bruno to accept commands from mom and we all returned home.  Because dad was equally protective of his family, he trained the six dogs to shadow and protect us when he and mom were at work or away.  These dogs were amazing as they would accompany us to school, remain out of sight to evade the dog catchers, and walk us home from school.

After the early death of her husband, Katherine retired to continue raising her children as a single parent. She was an extremely kind, giving, caring, and organized person who often quietly and privately helped others who were in need and especially without the need for recognition. 

Before retiring to become a fulltime single parent, each night at least two of her children along with a fiercely trained protect dog would await her arrival at the bus stop as she returned from work tired from cooking and serving customers all day for little pay, but with a smile on her face, and a treat for her kids (sometimes a fresh baked pizza).  She would enter the house and greet everyone, take care of chores, and then proceed to the kitchen to prepare meals for the next day including extra for others in need.   Mom would package up the items to be donated and leave specific instructions for us kids to make deliveries to the intended recipients, if she did not make deliveries herself that night.  Next, she would check on each of her children to make sure we had completed our chores, write more chores or re-do’s, check to see if we did our homework and were in bed before she herself would rest.  The next day, Katherine would rise early, thank God for another day, pray over her kids, braid hair, serve breakfast, give chore reminders, admonish each of us to be home before the streetlights came on at dusk, and send us off to school before she departed for work again. 

Even though we were active Baptists, mom would also attend service at the nearby Catholic Church on Friday’s and burn a prayer candle in the window.  When asked why she did this she would say, “Cause a little extra prayer never hurt nobody and candles light the path of those who are lost.”  On Saturday’s she would host her girlfriends for food and fellowship with music and a friendly Deuces (PittyPat), Tunk or Spades card game.

As a strong, loving, private, proud, and tenacious woman who faced discrimination and diversity (outside of her community) head on, Katherine smiled through many challenges, raised her children and those belonging to several neighbors with six dogs, and kept us all in check.  Over the years, mom taught us lots of lessons, including how to always be kind to the unkind.  She would say, they just don’t know God the way you do so until they do, you must be patient. 

Katherine leaves to cherish her memory sons George (Carolyn) and Reginald, daughters Katherine and Angela (Jason), Christian daughters Vallire Nelson (Jerry) and Ruby Jordan (Leon), grandson Charles N. Dorsey, Jr., (Tanya), grandchildren, Jacqueline, Tameka, Lachanta, Laconya, Lacagia, Jason, Javon, Jaden, Angel, and Eugene, great grandchildren Kniyah, Aiyanna, Amora, Yannie, Taylor, Terrence, Harvey, Alexis, Yanni, Julian, and Elijah, a host of grand nieces and nephews and other relatives and dear friends.

Say It Now

Why wait until tomorrow to tell someone you care?  For beyond the dawn tomorrow, you may not find them there.  The past now lies behind us, and tomorrow may not come.  We only have today, my friend, to beat upon life’s drum.

Friend, why not say, “I love you!” to those that you hold dear.  For time is such a fragile thing that death may soon appear.  Let others know you love them so there’s never a doubt.  The best time is now, my friend, to try and work things out.

If you keep your love a secret, it cannot multiply.  For love, when it’s neglected, begins to slowly die.  Go, hug your wife and children – go shed a happy tear!  And love will pay grand dividends each day throughout the year.

Clay Harrison