Obituaries : Otis Sebastian

Otis Sebastian, 84, died Thursday, November 29, 2018, at St. Luke’s Hospice in Cedar Rapids. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday, December 3, 2018, at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Newhall with Father Craig Steimel as celebrant. Graveside military rites will be conducted at the church following Mass by the John Ward McGranahan Post # 167 of Newhall. Interment will be held at Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery in Cedar Rapids at a later date. Visitation will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, also at St. Paul’s in Newhall. A memorial fund has been established. Otis was born June 9, 1934, in rural Cedar Rapids, Nebraska, to Fred and Nellie (Cornwell) Sebastian and graduated from Belgrade High School in Belgrade, Nebraska in 1951. Otis served his country in the United States Navy from 1953 through 1957. He graduated from the C.E. School of Commerce in Omaha with the class of 1958. Otis was united in marriage to Rita Houser on April 18, 1959 at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Newhall. Otis worked at Burlington Rail Road and John Hancock in Omaha. The couple moved to Newhall in 1967 and Otis continued with John Hancock in Cedar Rapids. In 1969, He purchased Houser Brothers Inc. in Newhall which he owned and operated until retiring in 2003. Otis was an active member of his community. In addition to his membership at St. Paul’s, he was also a member of the John Ward McGranahan American Legion Post for 51 years. He served on the Newhall Town Council for 34 years and mayor pro tem for 27 years. He was a member of the Newhall Volunteer Fire Department for 41 years and was a charter member of the Newhall Lions Club. He also enjoyed membership in the Keystone Turners for 43 years and Tara Hills Country Club since its founding. He was also an avid Nebraska Cornhusker fan. Otis is survived by his wife of 59 and a half years, Rita; his children, Penni (Rick) Pickering of Keystone, Larry (Ann) Sebastian of Mason City and Dennis Sebastian of The Woodlands, TX; 2 grandchildren Allie Pickering of Keystone and Nick Sebastian of Mason City; his sister, June (Lyle) Fraka of El Paso, TX; sister-in-law Ann Sebastian of Omaha; and brother-in-law Lumir Houser of Scottsdale, AZ. He was preceded in death by his parents; and his brother Gene Sebastian. Condolences may be sent to www.phillipsfuneralhomes.com.