Otis L. Ikner, age 85, died Monday, April 19, 2022, following a brief illness. He is survived by two sister, Bernice Smith and Bertha Stanley, Both of Pensacola, Florida. Otis was born in Walnut Hill, Florida on April 10, 1937. A "Cotton Field" baby- the seventeenth (17 ^th ) child of twenty children-9 boys and 11 girls. Parents were Anner Lee Ikner and Elijah Ikner.

After graduating from Ransom High School in 1960, Mr. Otis moved to Atlanta, GA. There he found employment as a house boy for Dr. John Savage, DDS. Houseboy duties included cooking and cleaning which Otis quickly learned. Dr. Savage frequently brought his work home with him and Otis learned how to do dental lab work such as Crowns, Bridges and Dentures, thus developing a love for the dental profession. Shortly there after, he was a certified dental technician.

Emery University closed its dental program down and set up a 4 year apprenticeship program, Otis was accepted into this program where he earned his license as a Registered Dental Hygienist. He was featured in Emery and USA-Today as the 1 ^st Male Dental Hygienist in the United States.

He moved back home to Walnut Hill and sent a niece to Florida A&M University where she earned her Degree in Nursing as a Registered Nurse. After that, he sent a nephew to Troy State College. At this point in his life, Otis was quoted in saying, "I want to live like a rich white boy". He learned to snow ski and was referred to as the Black Snow Ski Instructor of the South. He learned to water ski, scuba dive, and traveled to 13 countries including Australia, also traveling to 31 states of the USA.

Otis always knew God loved him and protected him. He joined Chapelwood Presbyterian Church in 1983. He retired and moved to Ebro, Fl. In 1991, he joined Freeport Presbyterian Church in 2004 and was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Chipley after moving to Chipley. In 2004 Otis started working as a volunteer at Washington County Council on Aging and later employed there.

A celebration of life service will be held 11:00A.M. Saturday, April 30, 2022 at the First Presbyterian Church in Chipley, Florida.