In loving memory of Otto Henry Bandemer III
August 1931 – July 12, 2026
Otto Henry Bandemer III, our loving father, passed away peacefully on Sunday July 12,2026, during the early morning in his sleep at 94 years old.
He was born in August of 1931 in Chicago. He was born a fraternal twin, with his twin sister Dorothy, passing away the following day.
He was a cherished son of Otto and Dorothy Bandemer and the oldest of their four children.
He grew up in Chicago, enjoying raising rabbits and pigeons, his German Shepard; Greta, baseball, bicycling, tobogganing, ice and roller skating, weightlifting, kayaking, and traveling in his Model A Ford.
He became a skilled butcher and earned his way through De Paul University and graduated with his Law degree.
He found the love of his life Catherine, known as Kay, in 1954 at the Hub Roller Rink in Chicago.
It was the beginning of a love story that would span more than seven decades.
In March of 1955, after he graduated from Naval Officers Candidate School in Rhode Island, they got married and he began his dream of becoming a Jag Attorney in the U.S. Navy.
The Navy then sent them to Crane, Indiana where they spent a year before moving to Guam in 1956.
They enjoyed the snorkeling, diving and sailing in the area. In 1958 they were stationed in Camp Penelton in Southern California and soon made Carlsbad their lifelong home.
Otto and Kay were blessed with four children; Cindy, Bruce, Paul and Michael.
He enjoyed taking the kids camping, especially to Woodchuck, Yosemite, to Boy Scouts and Indian Guides, motorcycling, competitions with his Netherland Dwarf rabbits, flying his planes, gliders, and sailing.
He was involved with many civic clubs such as the Rotary Club of Carlsbad, Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce, taught at MiraCosta College, served on its Board, and was also involved with the Boys and Girls Club.
He enjoyed cruising the open seas visiting many countries, Mountain Man Rendezvous’, many yearly trips to Quartzite with family and friends, memories that became cherished traditions.
He and Kay were also long-time members of the Honda Gold Wing club, sharing the open road and countless adventures with a close-knit community of riders who became lifelong friends. He was a proud and loving grandfather to eight grandchildren and four great grandchildren.
His legacy lives on in the lives he touched, the love he gave and the family he built.
Services are being planned for September. Please contact the family for details.
