Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, February 24, 1995 TAG: 9502240108
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: MATT CHITTUM
DATELINE: LENGTH: Short
Bedford Mayor G. Michael Shelton said other council members knew Otey had been ill recently but had no idea it was so serious.
"He was still just as jovial and jolly and wanting to dig into work as he ever was," Shelton said.
Otey, a lifelong resident of Bedford and brother of Bedford's first black mayor, Russell Otey, was first appointed to council in 1988 to finish out a council member's unexpired term. He lost the subsequent election, but won his way back onto council in 1990.
He was in his second full term, having been re-elected last year by a sizable margin.
"He took the viewpoint that the city had given a great deal to him, and he was going to give back everything he could," Shelton said.
Otey earned a bachelor's degree from St. Paul's College in Lawrenceville and a master's degree from Lynchburg College.
Before serving on City Council, he was a teacher and supervisor of driver education in Bedford and Bedford County schools for more than three decades. Otey also served on the board of Central Virginia Community College.
His funeral will be at 2 p.m. Sunday. The Rev. Noel Taylor, former Roanoke mayor, will deliver the eulogy.
by CNB