On January 10, 2009, the City of St. Mary Fire Department had to unfortunately bury one of their own Carl Otte. Carl was a member of the department for 38 years and 17 of those years were as chief. He was instrumental in getting the department a new truck and with the building of the new firehouse.

            When Carl stepped down as Chief he still stayed on the department as a firefighter there was no way you could keep him from helping some how. He always had   positive  things to say about everyone, even when he was trying to tell you how to change the way you where doing something it was in the best and most positive way I could think of.  Although I was not on the department that long with Carl I could tell when he walked in the room everyone respected him as if he was still the boss. Now Chief, Scott Cooper even would stop doing what he was doing to ask Carl if he thought it was a good idea or not. He was and is one of the most respected men in the department.

On January 10, 2009, when we all had to say good by to our brother Carl it was a hard and painful experience yet as we drove from Basler Funeral home to the church in St. Mary and we saw all the fire trucks lining the road their was nothing more I could do than wipe the tear from my eye and think to my self this is wonderful. I know Carl was proud at this and was great fully honored by the fact that so many different departments thought so highly of him it was a true sign of what a great man he was and how he had touched so many people some how. He was a great man and will not only be sadly missed by the St. Mary Department but by every department around.