Otis Edward Meives, 81, of Plymouth, died peacefully surrounded by his family on Friday, October 28,
2022.
Otis was born July 12, 1941 in the Town of Sherman, Sheboygan County, the son of Elmer and
Margaretha (Levsen) Meives. He attended Emmanuel Grade School in Adell, Plymouth High School and
MSOE (Milwaukee School of Engineering) in Milwaukee.
On September 30, 1961 he was united in marriage to Donna M Sonnemann. They were blessed with
four children, Debra, Barbara, Michael and Jennifer and were able to celebrate their 61
st wedding
anniversary this year.
He was employed by Pemco Inc., later Will-Pemco Inc. as an engineer for 40 years, retiring in 2001. As a
7
th grader he designed and built his first riding garden tractor. During shop class at Plymouth High School
he designed an improved model with front blade to which eventually he added hydraulics for a bucket
and tiller. During his employment at Pemco he received 9 U.S. patents and several German patents for
new designs of wrapping equipment used in the packing industry.
He was a devout member of Crossroads Community Church, Sheboygan. Otis enjoyed traveling
(business and leisure), motorcycling, snowmobiling and also working outside at home, when they lived at
Horseshoe Lake, making wood and plowing snow. He enjoyed his Kobota tractor which he used many,
many hours. The last 10 years he enjoyed winters in Zapata, TX. Most special to him was his family-
wife, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren who all gave him much joy, love and laughter.
Otis is survived, lovingly remembered and greatly missed by his wife Donna, four children, Debra (John)
Dowty, Cascade; Barbara Bilky, Manitowoc; Mike (Deborah) Meives, Reedsville; and Jennifer (Carl)
Roszak, Sheboygan Falls; six grandchildren, Stefanie (Chien Lee) Lin of Stoughton, Maria Meives of
Kaukauna, Trista(Rory) Neuhaus of Cascade, Thomas John (Mariah) Dowty of Howards Grove, Adam
(Katie Vater) Fisher of Milwaukee and Courtney (William) Moore of Fort Benning, GA, eight great-
grandchildren, Leila Lin, Kenson Lin, Valen Lin, Gabriel Lin, Ivy Lin, Sidney Hilker, Farrah Dowty and
Benton Dowty and also many nieces and nephews.
In addition to his parents, Otis was preceded in death by his son-in-law Fred Bilky, sister and brother- in-
law Anna and Arthur Bunkelman, brother-in-law Prentice Scanland and his parents-in-law Alfred and
LaVerne Sonneman.
Visitation for family and friends will be on Thursday, November 3
rd and will be held at Crossroads
Community Church at 4321 Co. Rd. A, Sheboygan from 9:00 AM to 10:45 AM followed by a celebration
of life service. The cremains will be inurnment at Greenlawn Mausoleum at a later time. If you are not
available to join the family for Otis’s service it will be live streamed on his obituary page on the funeral
home website.
In lieu of flowers a memorial fund has been established in Otis’s name.
Please visit our website to share your stories and leave your condolences for the family at
www.zimmerfuneralhome.com.
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