PRINCESS ANNE, MD - People from all throughout Maryland gathered in Somerset County Friday morning to pay respects and say a final goodbye to House of Delegates District 38 representative Charles Otto.
Otto died on October 17 at the age of 61. The Somerset County native was born in Salisbury in 1964, graduated from Washington High School in Princess Anne, and attended the University of Maryland Eastern Shore and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.
Otto was first elected to the House of Delegates in 2010. He represented Somerset, Wicomico, and Worcester Counties and served as Deputy Minority Whip since 2013.
Funeral services began at 11 AM at the Hinman Funeral Home in Princess Anne.
Family, friends, state and local lawmakers came out to honor the life and legacy of a man who colleagues in the House of Delegates remember as a dedicated public servant and fierce advocate for agricultural issues in Annapolis.
"It's heartwarming to see the outpouring of support, and just express gratitude and let the family know we're there for them," said Delegate Wayne Hartman for District 38C. "There's also sacrifice for the family, his time away in Annapolis."
Maryland U.S. Congressman Andy Harris, members of the Somerset County Commission, Wicomico County Executive Julie Giordano and Wicomico Council President John Cannon were also present.
"They changed some of the districts around while Charles was there, which really gave him more of Somerset than anywhere else," Cannon said. "But he still came to all of the Wicomico County events and we always appreciated that ... he didn't have to really always do that, but he always came."
Uppershore Delegate for District 36, Jay Jacobs, was elected the same year as Otto. The pair of lawmakers shared an office for 15 years.
"They always called us the state seal because I represented the fisherman and he represented the farmers," Jacobs said. "For many years, he was the only farmer in the House of Delegates, so he carried a lot of weight."
Services lasted more than two hours. Several delegates, senators and local loved ones spoke in Otto's memory.
A funeral procession led by Wicomico Sheriff's Deputies guided attendees to the Allen United Methodist Church Cemetery, where Otto was laid to rest.