Otis S. Romine

Jan. 24. 1923 - Sept. 3. 2001

The many friends of Otis S. Romine are invited to attend a memorial service celebrating his life. This memorial service will be held at 2p.m. on Sunday, at 7. in the St. Joseph County Republican Headquarters, 4133 South Main Street. South Bend. Ind. Otis Romine. 78. A lifetime area resident, he died in his home on Monday, Sept. 3, 2001. He was born in South Bend on Jan. 24, 1923, to the late Otis and Omah (Sensenich) Romine. He was married on July 13. 1946, to Joan Burmeister, who preceded him. in death on Dec. 5, 1979.

He is survived by a son, Ethan Romine of South Bend.

Otis was a graduate of South Bend Central High School.He enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1943 and was trained to fly P 38 Lightnings in Florida. Later he graduated from Notre Dame with a degree in engineering. 

As a Studebaker Corporation engineer and designer, he invented the variable speed windshield wiper and the automatic trunk release. He played a key role in the development of the Avanti. He worked at Studebaker until the dose of production in 1963 Then, after other engineering jobs, he became business manager and adjunct professor of business at Indiana University South Bend. In 1988 he retired after 20 years of employment. He was an avid motorcycle enthusiast, owning a smell fleet of bikes, and he delighted in taking ladies for rides in the sidecar He volunteered for the unpaid post of honorary Guatemala Counsel in South [lend, vomiting that country almost every winter. He always loaded his vehicle with as many supplies as it would hold for the poor folks of that country Otis was an outstanding Republican leader for many years, especially In Clay Township. He was Clay Township Trustee for 32 years and Clay 1-A Precinct 

When the state license branches were the responsibility of the Republican Party, he Incorporated the unheard of practice of a person taking a number at the branches and sitting until the number was called. He and a friend were the first contributors to the Republican Headquarters Building Fund Otis was very active in the design of the budding and the planting of the grounds. As County Republican Treasurer for eight years he watched every expenditure and balanced the books to the exact penny He sensed on numerous candidate committees and ran for County Surveyor in 1992. Otis was a great intellect. He knew the Indiana Code backward and forward. He was full of novel ideas and had a keen sense of humor He was a true gentleman. He was generous, honest, trust-worthy, and was a man of his word. He was one of the Individuals who go through life on a slightly different dimension than the rest of us, and he was a beloved person you couldn't forget. Anyone wishing to donate a gift in his memory may contribute to the St. Joseph County Republican Endowment Fund. 

Sources: Ancestry.com, Newspapers.com, and FindAGrave.com

10/18/2023 EJS

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/148575118/otis-sensenich-romine