Leaving a Legacy: Otto Hirsch
Otto Hirsch was born on November 12, 1920 in Jersey City, New
Jersey. He grew up there with two brothers and a sister. He served in the US Army during World War II as a medic and conscientious objector and received the“ Good Conduct Medal” and“ Victory Medal”. He later attended Union College in New Jersey and earned a teaching degree.
In 1942, he married Virginia Leister and the couple raised their three children in Madison, Tennessee. Otto began teaching in 1950 and taught elementary school in the Kentucky-Tennessee Conference for 36 years.
Otto had a heart for children and wanted to be involved in children’ s ministry even after he retired in 1986. His desire to stay involved lead him to volunteer his time and talents at Indian Creek Camp( ICC) every summer. He was an expert carpenter and craftsman and together with his maintenance skills and love for teaching nature, he tirelessly gave back to the youth and the camp that he so loved.
At the age of 93, he decided to retire officially his duties at ICC, but continued his skills for missionary purposes. He designed small cedar crosses with Bible verse on the base, wooden cross puzzles and other
Christian mementos.
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Starting in 2006, he made an estimated 7,000 puzzles and more than 30,000 cedar crosses that have been distributed
worldwide through church missions and outreach.
I first met Otto in 1989 when I immigrated to the US and he introduced himself to me, I was thrilled to have someone to speak German to, which he had learned from his father. He was a kind and caring man and whenever I’ d run into him, we would share a few German words together.
10 Connection