Wayne Joseph Otter

Date of birth  - September 18, 1959

Date of death  - June 28, 2026

Wayne Joseph Otter, 66, of Molalla, Oregon, passed away on June 28, 2026, at OHSU, after fighting a courageous battle against leukemia. He was born on September 18, 1959, at his family home in Marquam, Oregon, to Arnold and Kathleen Otter.

Wayne was married to the love of his life, Froi (Blackburn) Otter, for 45 years. They spent their first two years of marriage living in Marquam before moving to Idaho in summer of 1983. They resided there for 14 years, spending the majority of their time in Bruneau. After returning home to Oregon, they spent the last 30 years settling in the Molalla area.

Wayne began working in the woods logging until he and his family moved to Idaho. In Idaho, he was a farmer and cowboy for most of those 14 years, working for Colyer Herefords. He returned home to Oregon in the spring of 1996 to start his custom hay baling business, and they fully moved back to Oregon in 1997. In 2003, he started a new career working as a crane operator until he retired in 2023.

Wayne was a dedicated member of the Knights of Columbus since the mid-1980s. He fondly remembered his years in Idaho, where he fully embraced community traditions—from braving a ride on the donkey in donkey basketball to taking part in local Christmas tree sale events. After moving to Molalla, he looked forward every year to helping with the annual 4th of July Chicken BBQ.

Wayne enjoyed farming, making rosaries, camping, traveling and especially spending time with his grandkids. He is survived by his wife, Froi Otter; his sons, Luke (Jennifer) Otter and Nic (Patty) Otter; his daughter, Jaclyn Otter; his grandchildren, Helana (Ryan) Helmig, Jeramiah Otter, Jason Otter, and Emily Otter; his parents, Arnold and Kathleen Otter; five sisters; one brother; and many other loving family members.

A service to honor and celebrate Wayne’s life will be held on Friday, July 10, 2026, at St. James Catholic Church, located at 301 Francis St., Molalla, OR 97038. The Rosary will begin at 10:30 AM, with Mass following at 11:00 AM. A luncheon will follow immediately in the parish hall.

A graveside service will be held on Monday, July 13, 2026, at noon at Calvary Cemetery 1015 N Main Street, Mt Angel, OR 97362.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations to be sent to Knights of Columbus, K of C #3509 PO. Box 56, Molalla, OR 97038; or Rosary Makers: Our Lady’s Rosary Makers International 4611 Poplar Level Rd, Louisville, KY 40213.