Pius Ottiger Obituary, Death – Pius “Philip” Ottiger, 80, of Wildwood, Missouri, died on Thursday, September 29, 2022, while climbing Mount Elbert in Colorado. On May 30, 1942, in the Swiss city of Luzern, his parents, Isidor Ottiger and Kresentia Ottiger-Ruttimann, welcomed him into the world. Sandra, his wife of 53 years, as well as their daughters Dominique (Colby) Dolly and Natalie (Christopher) Hammond; granddaughters Cayla, Peyton, and Jacqueline; grandson Daniel; brothers Peter, Josef, Stefan, and Jacob; and sisters Theres, Lisbeth, and Rita, survive him. Daniel is Philip’s only living grandchild.
His father, Kresentia Ottiger-Ruttimann, and brothers Isidor and Leo all died before him. Philip led an extraordinary life. He was the youngest of ten children born on a dairy farm in Switzerland. He moved to Canada after serving as a lieutenant in the Swiss Army as a young man, where he met and married his wife, Sandy, who is originally from Australia. He was a successful entrepreneur who had studied business before retiring as the CEO of Bachem North America. He worked for several pharmaceutical firms. He personified the self-made man, having built a successful career on three different continents.
He had a thirst for adventure, and those of us who were lucky enough to be a part of it owe him our gratitude. His many interests and pastimes included horse shows, scuba diving, skiing, and mountaineering. His sense of adventure persisted until the very end. He adored his family and, after retiring, spent a lot of time in St. Louis with his beautiful grandchildren. Even after he retired, he could be found trading stocks or tending to his yard and garden in front of his numerous computer monitors. He died in the mountains he loved on September 29th, after making his final ascent of Mt. Elbert. He was adored beyond measure, and his death will never be forgotten.
Donations in Philip’s name can be made to the Lake County Colorado Search and Rescue Organization (http://www.lakecountysar.org/). Please see this page for more information. Donations can be sent to the Burnside Christian Church, 803 Main Street, Carthage, Illinois 62321, in care of Mark Nichols, in memory of those who tried to save him on Mount Elbert. The church’s phone number is 62321.
