of Lakeview, AR

September 5, 1934 - March 5, 2021

LTC L. Don Ott (US Army, RET) of Lakeview, Arkansas died Saturday March 5, 2021 at his home.
He was born on 5 September 1934 in Rea Valley, Arkansas to Alsey Clara Wagoner Ott and Howard Dennis Ott. He was a graduate of Flippin High School, class of 1953. He graduated from Arkansas Tech with a Bachelor's Degree in Geology. He also earned Master's Degrees in Electrical Engineering, School Administration, and Management.
He was commissioned in the US Army as a Second Lieutenant in the Signal Corps in 1956. He had a 22 year career spanning the era just after the Korean war until 1978. He was first stationed in Ft. Monmoth, NJ, Korea, Ft. Gordon, GA, combat in Vietnam where he served with the 9th Infantry Division. He was then assigned to Pisa, Italy where he was tasked with establishing the first direct line of communications between Washington, DC and Vietnam by standing up two satellite relay stations; one just outside of Pisa, Italy and one in Asmera, Ethiopia. He was then assigned to the Joint Chiefs of Staff in Washington, DC at the Pentagon where he was the Presidential Daily Briefer for President Johnson and President Nixon and was part of the Emergency Action Message Team responsible for releasing Nuclear Launch Codes to the Major Commands worldwide. He was then assigned to NATO Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium as the Executive Officer for three 3 Star Officers. He then requested to be stationed at Ft. Leonard Wood, MO as the Signal Battalion Commander from which he retired. His awards include the Bronze Star with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Army Commendation Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters, the Republic of Vietnam Service Medal and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation and the Vietnam Civilian Actions Unit Citation. He loved his time in the US Army and often still referred to himself in the third person as ''The Colonel'' many years after retirement.
In between being stationed in Korea and Ft. Gordon, L. Don came home and married the love of his life, Myra Madelyn ''Snooks'' Rose on 24 February 1962 at the Flippin Christian Church. They were married 28 years until her untimely death in 1990.
He requested to be stationed at Ft. Leonard Wood, MO after learning his sister LaVonne Ott Chalfant had terminal cancer so he and Madelyn could be closer to his parents, his sister and his nephews, Marcus C. Chalfant and C. Victor Chalfant. When LaVonne died on 13 September 1976 he was the one who told the boys their Mother had died and that he would take them in and treat them like his own. He became known to them as ''Popasan'' and he and Madelyn ''Momasan'' did just that.
He ''retired'' in January 1978 and moved to Lakeview, Arkansas where he began a new life with his wife and two boys. He started in the Real Estate Business with Jim French in 1978. He became a million dollar producer his second year in the business. In 1985 he became involved with establishing the Vo-Tech School in Mountain Home. Then he pursued another career with the State of Arkansas where he was Regional Director for Arkansas Economic Development Commission for 15 counties in the North and North West part of the state. He also helped with the placement of Exchange Students coming from foreign countries to study in Arkansas High Schools. That is where his path became intertwined with Lasha Dalakishvili in 1994. ''Popasan'' took in Lasha and eventually adopted him as well. Wiwat ''View'' Leebhaisomboon joined the family in 2002 after arriving as an exchange student. He was very proud of all of his boys.
He and Madelyn were members of the Bull Shoals Presbyterian Church. He was a loyal member and Past President of the Bull Shoals Rotary Club. He also served on the Mountain Home School Board. He was on the Hospital Board of Baxter County Regional Medical Center and the Hospice Board. And he was a Life Member of the Bull Shoals VFW Post 1341. He donated to charities worldwide.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 28 years Myra Madelyn Rose Ott. He is survived by his four boys: Marcus C. Chalfant (Cherie) of Charleston, SC, C. Victor Chalfant (Nicole) of Fayetteville, AR, Lasha M. Dalakishvili (Laura), of Saint Joseph, MO, and Wiwat Leebhaisomboon of Dallas, TX and Bangkok, Thailand, and 5 grandchildren: 1LT Matthew Chalfant of Killeen, TX, Marco, Leona, Madelyn and Rocky Dalakishvili of Saint Joseph, MO.
He was admired, respected, loved and will be missed by us all.
Visitation to be at Roller-Burns Funeral Home, 725 N. Panther Ave. Yellville, AR on Friday 12 March 2021 from 5pm till 7pm.
Funeral at Roller-Burns on Saturday 13 March 2021 at 10am.
Military Honors at the gravesite at Flippin Cemetery following the funeral.
In lieu of flowers, please make generous donations to Hospice of the Ozarks, 744 Long Street, Mountain Home, Arkansas 72653 or the Twin Lakes Community Foundation P.O. Box 473, Mountain Home, AR 72654.

Obituary Provided By:
Roller-Burns Funeral Home
725 North Panther Ave.
Yellville, AR  72687
www.rollerfuneralhomes.com