Otto Lehrmann

Otto Quade Lehrmann, a life-long resident of Washington County, passed away at home on October 10, 2011, surrounded by his family and friends. Services will be held Thursday, October 13, 2011, at 2:00 p.m. from St. John''s United Church of Christ in Burton, Texas, with the Rev. Glen Schoeneberg officiating, assisted by Judith Sherman. Memorial Oaks Chapel is in charge of arrangements. Burial will follow in Oak Hill Cemetery in Burton, Texas. The family will receive friends from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday night, October 12, 2011, at Memorial Oaks Chapel. Otto was born June 8, 1929, the son of Otto Gus Lehrmann and Lydia Quade Lehrmann. He was baptized in infancy and confirmed October 14, 1943, at Zionsville Lutheran Church. Otto''s dad passed away in 1932 when Otto was 3 years old and his sister Ruby was one year old. This was during the Great Depression. Otto''s mother operated a feed, produce, and grocery store at Artesian Park. Otto and Ruby were cared for by their loving Aunt Mamie Quade while their mother operated the store 15 hours per day to make a living for the family. Everyone was suffering during the really bad times. Otto attended Burton High School, Blinn College AA, Texas A&M University BBA and MBA, and completed additional post-graduate studies at the University of Houston. On August 19, 1951, Otto married Dorothy Louise Zuehlke in St. John''s Evangelical & Reformed Church in Burton. Otto served in the U.S. Army combat engineers from 1951 to 1954 and was a member of American Legion Post #48. Otto was employed by the Herbert C. Schroeder public accounting firm from 1954 to 1967. He was self-employed as an accredited tax advisor and "Enrolled to practice before the Internal Revenue Service" from 1967 to 1981. From 1981 to 2003, Otto was employed by Seidel, Schroeder & Company, CPAs. Otto served on the Board of Directors of the Burton Ex-Students Association as president and the Blinn College Ex-Students Association as charter president. He served as treasurer of the Washington County Youth Club, vice president of the Brazos Valley Estate Council, director of the National Society of Public Accountants, secretary-treasurer of the Blinn College Board of Trustees, and director and vice-chairman of the Board of Burton State Bank. He was honored with an Outstanding Alumnus Award by the Blinn College Ex-Student Association in October 2010. Otto was an active member of St. John''s United Church of Christ, Burton, Texas, having served as a church school teacher for 14 years, a member of the auditing committee for over 35 years, and co-treasurer of the 1992-1993 church improvement fund. Every year for over 50 years, he provided 100 Christmas fruit bags to the children of the church. He is survived by his loving daughter, Deborah Louise Lehrmann; his sister and brother-in-law, Ruby and Joe Read; sisters-in-law Maxine Barber and Judy Schulz and her husband Martin Schulz; nephews and nieces Paul Max and Jeannette Barber; Jo-Ann, Kevin, Alyssa, and Kayla Koehn; Marty, Melissa and Madison Schulz; Kristy Schulz; Lori, David, and Emil Elizabeth George; Kirby Lehrmann, whom Otto considered a brother, as well as, his beloved and cherished cousins. Otto was preceded in death by his parents, his Aunt Mamie Quade, and by his loving wife Dorothy Louise. Pallbearers will be Kirby Lehrmann, Bill Rankin, Royce Lehrmann, James Lehrmann, Vernon Blum, Fritz Jaehne, Gus Mutscher, Charlie Rosenbaum, Harold W. Eikenhorst, Trey Boeker, and Seth McMeans. Honorary pallbearers will be Seidel, Schroeder & Company partners, staff and retirees, the directors and staff of Burton State Bank, Dr. Wilfred O. Dietrich, Donald Strickland, Raymond Thaler, Tieman H. Dippel, Jr., Harry Penkert, Billy Steck, Verna Mae Druckhammer, and William Wendler. Otto loved his God, his country and his friends. He enjoyed gardening and taking care of his dog "Tina". Those who wish to memorialize him are encouraged to consider gifts to the Otto Q. Lehrmann Endowed Scholarship Fund of Blinn College. Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Memorial Oaks Chapel, 1306 W. Main, Brenham. For more information visit the website www.memorialoakschapel.com.