Thomas Otzel

Thomas Joseph Otzel, of Oberlin, left this life to join his Lord and Savior on October 9th, 2023, after a difficult and brave battle with cancer. He was 72 years old. Born on January 24th, 1951, to the late Albert C. and Margaret S. Otzel, he was raised in Highspire along with his two brothers and two sisters whom he loved dearly.
Thomas was a devout Catholic who would want you to know that his greatest loves were the Lord, his family and friends, and the United States Navy, which he was honored to serve in for many years. He was a member of both Saint Catherine Labouré Parish of Harrisburg and Seven Sorrows BVM of Middletown over the years. He graduated from Bishop McDevitt High School in 1968 and went to work at the Penn State Hershey Medical Center for 39 years to provide for his family. He enjoyed time with his children and grandchildren above all else, whom he travelled all over God''s green earth to support for anything.
Thomas was stubborn and proud at times, but he will be best remembered for his dedication and loyalty to those he loved. He was generous, compassionate, and selfless. He loved to socialize and if you needed a hand, he was always willing to find a way for those around him. He was an avid reader of great American novels and mysteries. He enjoyed old cars, covered bridges, and The Rolling Stones. He was a lifelong fan of the New York Jets and New York Mets.
In addition to his parents, he is predeceased by his brother Albert, sister Yvonne, and niece Shannon.
He is remembered and cherished by his wife of nearly 42 years Debra; his children Vanessa (Tony), Thomas Jr., and Sandra (Matthew); six grandchildren and one great-granddaughter; his sister Monica (Joseph), brother Michael, sister-in-law Sandy, brother-in-law Ron; many nieces and nephews; and a large group of loyal friends.
He will be remembered for his big smile, love of Hawaiian shirts, meticulous nature, kind heart, and his bravery. In the end he did not fear death and felt he had a wonderful life, but wished for his family to go on living a good life after he was gone. His family will feel the absence of his presence deeply as he was a true patriarch and provider for those he loved most.
His family wishes to thank the Oncology/Hematology team at Penn State Hershey Medical Center for their care and compassion over the last 15 months, his loyal friends who supported and assisted him so selflessly during this time, his in-laws Jim and Maureen Awad who assisted with meals, and the many people who prayed and visited over the preceding months.
A viewing will be held Thursday, October 19th from 6-8 PM at Wiedeman Funeral Home, 357 South Harrisburg Street, Oberlin, PA 17113. Mass of Christian Burial will take place Friday, October 20th at 11 AM at Saint Catherine Labouré Parish, 4000 Derry Street, Harrisburg, PA 17111. Live Stream may be viewed at https://sclhbg.org/parish/funeralslive/ during the funeral.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions be made to either St. Jude Children''s Research Hospital at www.stjude.org http://www.stjude.org, Penn State Health Children''s Cancer Research at https://www.pennstatehealth.org/childrens/services-treatments/hematology-oncology, or Disabled American Veterans at https://www.dav.org/.