Copyright Reading Eagle
Thomas William Ott OBITUARY Thomas William Ott, 81, of Millsboro, DE, formerly of Sinking Spring, PA, passed away on October 23, 2025, at Delaware Hospice Center in Milford, DE, with his wife by his side. Left to cherish his memory are his wife Marilyn (Froelich) Schmidt Ott, Millsboro, DE, and his son, Christopher Ott, Lewes, DE. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Janice (Gathergood) Ott. Tom was born on December 8, 1943, in West Reading, PA, the son of the late Harry and Viola (Young) Ott. He graduated from Governor Mifflin High School in 1961 and was a member of the football, wrestling, and baseball teams. He attended Elizabethtown College where he was a member of the wrestling team. He later received his Electrical Engineering degree from the University of Maryland. He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1964, during the Vietnam War, and was assigned to the Strategic Air Command at Homestead Air Force Base in Homestead, FL. From there he was deployed to Japan where he flew missions into Vietnam. Upon returning home from overseas in 1969, he joined Gilbert Associates in Reading, PA, working as an engineer. He traveled worldwide as a troubleshooter for nuclear power plants. For many years Tom volunteered with the Western Berks Ambulance Association as an EMT. Tom was an avid Philadelphia Phillies fan, and he gave decades of service to Berks County high school wrestling as a referee, officiating PIAA State Championships twice. He was instrumental in developing the Wilson Jr. High Wrestling Tournament which was named the Tom Ott Tournament in 2018 in his honor. For Lifetime Service to Wrestling, he was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2016. He was also a member of the Governor Mifflin Sports Hall of Fame. He served on the Wilson School District Board of Directors from 1984-2005, serving as president for a number of those years. Tom will be remembered for his sense of humor, work ethic, and contributions to his community.
