Obituary - Otto

Source: http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/223-01242008-1476563.html

January 24, 2008

Burlington County Times

MADELINE OTTO

"You can do anything you want, just be here at 5 for dinner". Madge was always in charge of the family vacations. She had an itinerary and it was best to follow it. But you could bet that when in Ocean City she would make time to take the grandkids on "the rides", to play miniature golf and of course to relax on the beach. If not at the shore, she made sure the whole family headed to Disney World or on a cruise. Her family was always at the center of her world. She never missed a soccer game. Whether at Delran or Holy Cross, she never missed a game. But those folks at Holy Cross might remember her from working in the cafeteria as well. Even when her kids were not playing, she loved soccer. She was especially fond of Women's National Soccer team and Carly Lloyd. Always looking for a challenge, she could often be found working on crossword puzzles or watching the Game Show Network.

As a Navy Brat, she was always on the move, till she came to Philadelphia. That's where she met her husband, Joseph, when they were both in the early teens. They would spend the next forty-eight years together, and be blessed by their children, Joseph (Jackie), Michael (Stella), Jennifer Olivo (Mark), and Michelle Sacca-Otto (Tony), all of Delran, as well as their grandchildren Tommy Kozub, Tyler and Madison Otto, Mikey and Mark "Butter" Olivo, Lindsay and Lauren Skorny and Anthony Sacca. Madge is also survived by her brothers, Johnny, Joseph, Jimmie and the late Raymond Mooney, as well as her sisters, Mary Whartenby, Alice Marcinkiewicz and Rosie Mullen.

Come celebrate 61 well organized years Friday from 5 to 8 PM and Saturday, 9:30 to 10:30 AM at the SWEENEY FUNERAL HOME, 337 Bridgeboro St., Riverside. Funeral Mass to follow at 11 AM at Church of the Holy Name, Delran. Interment: Private.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to Susan G. Komen for the Cure, 5005 LBJ Fwy., Ste. 250, Dallas, TX 75244.

Delran's Lloyd enjoys support The World Cup soccer player has a big fan at home.

Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20150921172955/http://articles.philly.com/2007-09-26/sports/25222995_1_breast-cancer-carli-lloyd-american-cancer-society

By Bill Iezzi INQUIRER STAFF WRITER

Posted: September 26, 2007

One of the best soccer players in the world, Carli Lloyd, is playing in the biggest soccer tournament in the world in China.

But her No. 1 fan is in Delran.

Lloyd, a Delran High alumna, and the U.S. women's national team will take on Brazil tomorrow in the semifinals of the 2007 Women's World Cup in Hangzhou, China. The game can be seen at 8 a.m. on ESPN2.

Cancer patient Madge Otto is one of Lloyd's biggest supporters. Otto hosted a soccer breakfast in Lloyd's honor Saturday. Members of the Delran High soccer teams, including senior Stephen Lloyd, a center midfielder just like his older sister, assembled at the Otto house at 7 a.m. to watch the U.S. team defeat England, 3-0, in the quarterfinals.

"We had 30 to 40 people here," said Otto, who is battling breast cancer. "They watched the game on a big-screen television in the great room and a flat screen in the living room."

A member of the national team for three years, Lloyd, 25, graduated from Delran in 2001 and Rutgers in 2005. She has 36 international caps and has started nine games this season, including the first three World Cup matches. She hasn't scored in World Cup play, but overall this season she is the team's third-leading scorer with seven goals and two assists.

A day after Mother's Day, Carli Lloyd made a surprise visit to Delran. The soccer star brought gifts for Otto, including a T-shirt signed by the national team and a pink hat autographed by Lloyd.

"I could not believe it. The whole team signed the shirt," Otto said of Lloyd's visit. "They wore pink shirts with blue trim for the first time in a game they played [May 12] before Mother's Day."

The pink jerseys worn by the national team were intended to raise breast cancer awareness.

Breast cancer is diagnosed in about 200,000 women annually, according to the American Cancer Society. More than 41,000 men and women died of breast cancer in 2006.

Lloyd is no stranger to the disease. Her grandmother died of breast cancer and one of her aunts is recovering from it.

Mike Otto, one of Madge's four children and the head coach of Delran's team, said his mother wore Lloyd's mementos all the time. They have helped take her mind off the cancer, Mike Otto said.

Stephen Lloyd and his teammates were happy to lift Otto's spirits by watching Carli's game.

"Carli has a lot of support from Delran," Stephen Lloyd said. "Not many people have a chance to be on the national team. Everyone is proud that she is from Delran."

Lloyd is one of three New Jerseyans on the national team. Defender Christie Rampone is from Point Pleaseant and forward Heather O'Reilly is from East Brunswick.

Contact staff writer Bill Iezzi at 856-779-3826

or biezzi@phillynews.com.