John J. Grote

OTTOVILLE - John J. Grote, 69, of Ottoville, died at 2:00 a.m. Wednesday, January 6, 2016 at Van Wert Inpatient Hospice. He was born December 15, 1946 in Jackson Township to the late Leo and Cyrilda (Siefker) Grote. On September 28, 1968 he married Marie Eickholt who survives in Ottoville.

Also surviving are five children: Tony (Tina) Grote of Fort Jennings, Eric Grote of Delphos, Jeff (Elaine) Grote of Maumee, Amy (Rick) Bergman of Minster, and Jody (Jon) Swisher of Bluffton; 13 grandchildren: Madison, Nolan, Jonathan and Hannah Grote, Dominic, Aiden, and Brock Grote, Justin, Tyler, Riley, and Harper Bergman, and Lee and Lucy Swisher; three sisters: Joann (Tom) Hempfling and Janet (Jerome) Trentman both of Delphos and Eileen (Paul) Gedert of Marble Head; and his faithful dog: Bean. He was also preceded in death by a son: Kevin.

John was a retired mail carrier, a farmer and was an agent for Farmer's Mutual Aid Insurance. He was a 1964 graduate of Fort Jennings High School. He was a member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Ottoville and the Ottoville Knights of Columbus. John loved being with his grandchildren and enjoyed farming, the Republican Party, camping, telling stories, and Pro-Life.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be 11:00 a.m. Saturday, January 9, 2016 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Ottoville with the Very Reverend Jerome Schetter officiating. Burial will follow in St. Mary's Cemetery, Ottoville. Visitation will be from 2 to 8 p.m. on Friday and from 9 a.m. until the departure for the mass on Saturday at LOVE-HEITMEYER FUNERAL HOME, Jackson Township. There will be a K of C Rosary at 6:30 p.m. on Friday at the funeral home.  Memorials may be made to the Putnam County Home Health and Hospice.

Condolences can be expressed at: www.lovefuneralhome.com.