I Remember Otto 

By Paul Heffron

Otto Link, a longtime HumanistsMN member, died in May in California. For inspiration by the life of an outstanding humanist, I encourage you to read the obituary just published in the StarTribune.

I remember Otto in the many conversations we had at meetings, Winter Solstice parties, banquets, and picnics. He was very thoughtful and had a good sense of humor. He had the views and values of a humanist and freethinker and acted on them.

We discovered that we had a common interest in jazz and liked the same bands and jazz greats. We sent jazz CDs to each other and responded to them in emails. Otto had played trumpet in jazz and dance bands when he was young. He and his wife , Jeanette, were fans of our Freethought Band and encouraged our efforts to play original freethought songs and include some jazz in our performances.

You were lucky if you sat next to the Links at our dinner and picnic events. There would be lively conversations and hardy laughs.

Otto had quite a career as a teacher and administrator in the Minneapolis Public Schools. His obit is the longest I’ve ever seen, and every sentence had to be there.