Otto Herman Dahl Lifes Sketch

My Great Grandfather

Otto Herman Dahl was born in Karlsruhe, Baden, Germany 11 May 1909. His father died in World War I when Otto was six years old in 1915, his mother had three boys and never remarried. Otto states in his life history how his parents joined the church, his parents were friends of a couple that were members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, one day then invited them over for a “cottage meeting” with the Latter-day Saint Elders, soon after they joined the church.

During his youth he lived through World War I, he states there were bombings almost every night, they spent many sleepless nights in their cellar waiting for the sirens to stop. Soon after the war stopped in 1918 food shortage and inflation occurred, they were luckier than most because their grandmother had a farm in Oberotterbach.

Otto decided as a young teenager that he wanted to come to the United States of America. He finished grammar school at the age of fifteen then became an apprentice to a welder. He met his future wife Stephanie at a branch in Karlsruhe at the age of eighteen. Otto and Stephanie applied for visas to come to the USA, they were both accepted and had one year to get ready. They were already to leave but Stephanie did not have the money to make the voyage. He postponed his trip and his Aunt Dora supplied Stephanie the money to make the voyage with Otto in December of 1928.

They came to America and soon after got married in California and settled down. Otto found a job as a welder, and Stephanie as a seamstress. They had their first child Erna Dahl December 1929. They lived in California until he decided to retire in 1971. They decided they liked Idaho summers but enjoyed Arizona winters. Otto and Stephanie moved to Chester Idaho with their daughter Erna, and stayed the winters with their daughter Elizabeth in Arizona. They went back to West Germany to serve a mission then came home until their last days. Otto died of a heart attack 22 October 1985. Stephanie later followed on the 17th of November 1998.
Source
Dahl, Otto Herman autobiography