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ObituariesFriday, October 5, 2007 12:10 AM CDT
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Michael Oetting
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LEXINGTON - Michael "Mike" Robin Oetting, 54, of 115 Hilton Dr., Lexington, died suddenly Tuesday (Oct. 2, 2007) at BroMenn Regional Medical Center, Normal.

His funeral will be at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Church of Christ, Uniting, Lexington, with the Rev. Jan Proeber officiating. Military rites will follow at the church. Cremation rites will follow the service with inurnment at Lexington Cemetery at a later date. Visitation will be from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday at Calvert & Musselman Funeral Home, Lexington.

Mike was born March 28, 1953, at Elkhart, Ind., a son of Frederick W. Jr. and Eileen Brock Oetting. He lived part of his early years with his grandparents. He covenanted in partnership with the one true love of his life, Joyce Kachline Thomas, in 1992. She survives in Lexington.

Other survivors include his mother and stepfather, Eileen and Paul Koch, Kennesaw, Ga.; his father-in-law, Clifford Kachline, Lexington; four children, Matthew (Christine) Oetting, Bloomington; Jonathon Oetting, Herrin; Chelsea (Matt) Allen, Bloomington; and Heather (Steve Holloway), Bourbonnais;–; three grandsons, Tyler, R.J. and Michael Shane, all of Bloomington; a brother, Alan (Ellen) Koch, Portland, Ore.; a sister, Kathie (Garth) Wilcox, Kennesaw, Ga.; adopted sister, Sang (Don) Brooks, Elkhart, Ind.; sister-in-law. Jerelyn (Bruce) Ramo, Big Canoe, Ga.; two aunts, Frieda Oetting, Wakarusa, Ind., and Mildred Wilkinson, Mount Vernon; adopted aunt, Idella Sensenbaugh, Elkhart, Ind.

He was preceded in death by his father, Frederick Oetting Jr.; an uncle, Howard Oetting; and three aunts, Henrietta Pletcher, Loretta Hardy and Emma Ocker.

Mike grew up in Lansing, Mich., and graduated from high school there in 1971. He received a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering from the University of Missouri in Rolla in 1980; a master's of architecture from the University of Illinois at Champaign in 2005. He was a practicing architect/engineer, working on private and government projects. Mike was awarded patents during his work at The Eureka Co. and others are pending through Joyce Thomas Designs of Lexington. In addition to The Eureka Co., Mike was also employed by Invensys Appliance Controls, John Deere & Co. and Maytag Inc.

Mike was a U.S. Army veteran, having served in the military from 1972 to 1976. He worked Secret Service VIP support missions for the 1976 presidential campaign and assisted former Presidents Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter, Richard Nixon, former Vice-President Nelson Rockefeller, former Gov. George Wallace and the King and Queen of Denmark.

Mike's personality was larger than life; his presence was felt in every room he entered and his absence will leave a great void in our lives. He loved his organic garden, his dogs, Wrigley and Carmel, his family, and everything about life.

As an architect, Mike was a progressive thinker, many of his ideas were ahead of his time. He believed in designing a world that served all of humanity. His signature ponytail will be donated to Locks of Love.

Memorials may be made to the family.

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