Sharon Sue Ott Obituary
Sharon Sue Ott, 75, of Richland, MI, passed away peacefully in her home on Thursday, September 10, 2026. She was born March 27, 1951, in Henderson, Nebraska, to Herbert and Norma (Heinz) Baumann.
Growing up in Grafton, Nebraska, alongside her brother and five deeply faithful and kind-hearted sisters, Sharon learned the value of hard work and hospitality early on. She spent her formative years as a waitress at the family café, where she kept the locals happy and their cups full of "mud" (coffee)—though the family fondly remembers the time her sister Barb took the phrase literally and served an actual cup of mud to a particularly difficult customer.
Driven by a profound faith and a passion for education, Sharon left Grafton to attend Martin Luther College (MLC). It was there she met her first husband, Terry Geisler. After graduating in 1973, they moved to Waterloo, Wisconsin, where Sharon began her dedicated career as a schoolteacher at St. John’s Lutheran School, remembered fondly for her love of incorporating arts and crafts into her lessons.
After relocating to St. Joseph, Michigan, Sharon stepped away from the formal classroom to focus on raising their four children. During these busy and joyful years, she lovingly managed her own bustling in-home day care while balancing a part-time position at the local Walgreens. In 1999, she proudly returned to the classroom, teaching elementary students and coaching girls’ basketball at Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church.
Sharon and Terry shared a beautiful life raising their family in St. Joseph until his passing in 2009. Life opened a new, joyful chapter when she married Jon Ott in 2014 welcoming his children—Mike (Callie) Ott, Jon (Amy) Ott, and Melanie Ott—into her immediate family. Sharon officially retired from teaching in July 2016, and the couple settled in Richland to enjoy the numerous area lakes and be closer to their local grandchildren, Ella and Alexandra (Alex). Though her grandchildren Isabel, Grant, Andrew, and Hank lived in a different state, Sharon’s love knew no distance, and she cherished every one of her grandchildren deeply.
Sharon was a woman of simple, profound pleasures. She had a passion for horses, reading her Bible, baking, and embarking on miles-long walks. She was a fierce competitor at Wordscapes, and anyone lucky enough to visit her home knew they might be treated to a slice of her incredibly delicious banana bread. Ultimately, though, her greatest hobby and true life’s work was simply loving others. In her final days, Sharon’s message was a reflection of how she lived: she made it remarkably clear how deeply she loved her family and expressed her greatest wish that her loved ones maintain a personal, enduring relationship with their Savior, Jesus Christ.
Sharon will be missed by her husband of 12 years, Jon Ott; her children, Meggan McMurtrie of Richland, MI; Stephanie Geisler of Madison, WI; Phillip Geisler of Astoria, NY; and Trent (Alicia) Geisler of Huntsville, AL; her grandchildren, Isabel, Ella, Alexandra, Grant, Andrew, and Hank; her siblings, Jane (Dan) Birkholz of Mankato, MN; Kathy Baumann of York, NE; Beverly (Steve) Haferman of Fort Atkinson, WI; Barbie Baumann of York, NE; Betty (Gene) Hinze of Utica, NE; and many extended family members and friends.
She was preceded in death by her first husband, Terry Geisler; her brother, Paul Baumann; and her parents, Herbert and Norma (Heinz) Baumann.
Sharon's immediate family will be available for an informal visitation at 12:15 PM on Thursday, September 17, 2026, followed immediately by a celebration of life service at 1:00 PM at Starks & Menchinger Chapel, 2650 Niles Rd., Saint Joseph, with Pastor Robert Duehlmeyer officiating. Burial will follow at Riverview Cemetery, Saint Joseph. Serving as pallbearers will be Trent Geisler, Phillip Geisler, Christopher Geisler, Randy Rice, Mike Ott, and Jon Ott.
Memorial contributions may be given to Peace Evangelical Lutheran Church, 805 S. Wilmott St., Otsego, MI 49078, or online at www.peaceotsego.org/give.
