Henry C. “Cougar” Ottesen, 88, died
March 8, 2011, at Skagit Valley Hospital, Mount Vernon. He was born Nov. 4, 1922, to pioneer North Whidbey residents, Jens and Marie Ottesen. Henry was a lifelong resident of Oak Harbor.
Cougar attended school in Oak Harbor, graduating with the class of 1943. Following high school, he began raising chickens for Western Farmers Co-op and then for himself. Later, he was hired by Jes Boyer to work evenings as a meat wrapper.
On Aug. 3, 1950, Cougar began work for Civil Service aboard Whidbey Island Naval Air Station. He was assigned to the Supply Department, a position he held until his retirement in 1980. Cougar also found a second career, that of the operation of Maple Leaf Cemetery. Beginning in August of 1964, he worked as a helper for Henry “Hank” Case and when Hank could no longer work, Cougar became the Sexton, handling all cemetery operations. Cougar was married to Lorene R. Ferguson in Anacortes on June 10, 1972.
Cougar took his cemetery position seriously, agreeing to meet families at any date and any time. He purchased a mobile home which he placed on cemetery property. During the summer months, he would set his alarm for every two hours to move the sprinklers that irrigated the cemetery. When he finally decided to move to Mount Vernon, he donated his home to the Island County Cemetery District where it still serves to this day as the cemetery office.
Cougar was a community activist and was instrumental in forming the Cornet Bay Volunteer Fire Department, assisted in the construction of the Oak Harbor Elks Lodge, obtained the military guns from the U.S. Navy for placement at Maple Leaf Cemetery, and assisted in the construction of the Veterans Memorial at Maple Leaf. Cougar was a life member of the Oak Harbor Elks Lodge 2362, where he also volunteered for over seven years as cook for special events at the lodge. One of the highlights of his life was being selected as the Washington State Elk Citizen of the Year in August of 2001.
Cougar is survived by his children: Shirley
Fredrickson of Ferndale; Sally Beckmann of Burlington; Steve Ottesen of Houston, Texas; Susan Ferguson of Anacortes;
Chris Ottesen of Kirkland; Barbara Collins of
Snohomish; Diane Manley of Running Springs, Calif.; and Mary Geyer of Spokane; one sister, Julia Emmett of Eugene, Ore.; and numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren also survive. He was preceded in death by his parents, by his wife Lorene in 2000, by two daughters, Julianne Whitney and Patty Collins and by two brothers Andrew and Frank Ottesen.
Funeral services for Cougar Ottesen will be held Monday, March 14, at 11 a.m. at Wallin Funeral Home, 1811 NE 16th Ave., Oak Harbor. Burial rites will be provided by the Elks Lodge at Maple Leaf Cemetery and a reception will follow at the Oak Harbor Elks Lodge. Visitation will be held at the funeral home on Sunday, March 13, from 3 to 6 p.m. Memorials may be made to the Washington Elks Therapy Program for Children. Friends and family are encouraged to share memories and condolences at www.wallinfuneralhome.com. Arrangements entrusted to Wallin Funeral Home & Cremation.
