West
field – David Emerson Ott (1947-2018) died April 12th after a long battle with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis at age 71. David will be missed by his family and by the hundreds of people he touched everyday through his work at Riverbend Medical Group. David dearly loved his family and considered himself lucky to love his work, the people he worked with and those he took care of for the past 30 years. He grew up on Guam and could tell you stories of his life there that made you want to join him on that 210 square mile island. For college, David went to New Mexico State University where he learned he did NOT want to be an Engineer, so he took on the life of a cowboy until the Red Cross found him and made him call home. Without his college deferment David became a member of the Navy and it was one of his proudest achievements to serve as a Corpsman to a US Marine base in Vietnam. He carried his Corpsman training back to the states as he attended college in an early Physician’s Assistant program. For the past 42 years he has done a job he loved. On May 30th, David would have been at Riverbend for 30 years and he would tell you that he loved each day of the 30 years….no one loved his work more. A conversation with David might lead you through word origins, travel in Turkey, diesel car repair or his last meal; but you would come away with the understanding that this man loved his life and enjoyed knowing about everything. While his children were growing up he learned little bit about baseball and coached for 10 years. As Scoutmaster of Troop 102 it greatly pleased him that both his sons were Eagle Scouts, a rank he had achieved many years before. David loved his wife of 42 years Norma (Gaughan) and his children Nathan, Andrew and Kathryn. He was predeceased by his daughter Rebecca. He leaves his brother Roderick and sisters Norma, Beth and Maureen as well as many loving sister and brother in laws, nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews. “Remember that when you leave this earth, you can take with you nothing that you have received – only what you have given: a full heart, enriched by honest service, love, sacrifice and courage.” -St. Francis of Assisi. Visiting hours for David will be held on Tuesday, April 17, 2018 from 4-7 PM in the Firtion Adams FS, 76 Broad St. Westfield, MA. Burial will be private. www.firtionadams.com
