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Bob Ott: the ‘good sergeant’ There’s no doubt about the depth of feeling that community residents have for a favorite son, Bob Ott. The former law enforcement officer with the St. Johns Police Department – and dedicated public servant – passed away Jan. 30. He was 88.
"I always referred to him as ‘the Good Sergeant,’" former St. Johns City Manager Randy Humphrey recalls. "Bob certainly was good at the many, many tasks he performed for the city. I am aware of no other employee who better understood public service than Bob. "He would do anything, for anyone, at any time with a smile and reassurance that a job would be well done." That’s saying a lot of any individual, no matter what profession or occupation – it’s a fitting tribute for this gentleman police officer. Humphrey, whose tenure as city manager coincided with a good portion of the 34 years that Bob served the city, has other great memories of those years at ‘City Hall.’ "Bob provided harmony and morale boosting for the entire City employee group," Humphrey says. "He used to cook wonderful meals on his time and at his expense. It was a way of keeping us together – in good spirits and caring for one another beyond the role of fellow workers. "He certainly is one of the people that I have missed the most upon moving out west." A fellow law enforcement officer has equally vivid memories about the giving nature of his former comrade. "I joined the department in 1956, and we both became sergeants in 1969," remembers former St. Johns Police Chief, Lyle French. "Bob liked police work, and he was good at it, but best of all I think he enjoyed working on the parking lot projects in town – he was just absorbed by that. "I think he was in his glory when he was in that front-end loader, working on a parking lot." Chief French recalls another piece of equipment that Sergeant Ott also enjoyed – his parking ‘scooter.’ "First, he had a three-wheel motorcycle, and then he got that used scooter – when we got a new scooter, Bob was in second heaven," the chief says with a laugh. "We missed him when he retired in 1981, but he deserved the rest." Ott was preceded in death by his wife of 60 years, Vivian M. Ott in 2003. A complete obituary is contained in this issue.
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