Diana "Dee" Damiani Otte

On Tuesday, January 17, 2023, Diana “Dee” Damiani Otte passed away peacefully at the age of 79. Diana was born in Galveston on December 1, 1943, to Ellen Bastien Damiani and Paul Joseph Damiani. She was a proud fourth generation “BOI” and her grandfather William Bastien worked for the Corps of Engineers and helped build the first Galveston Seawall. Dee was raised on Galveston Island, where she attended Catholic schools and graduated with honors from Ursuline Academy. She attended College of the Mainland and the American College of Business; she later earned both an Insurance Board and Mortgage Broker’s license from the state of Texas. 

Dee began her professional career as an office manager for a private pediatric clinic in Galveston. She then began working at the University of Texas Medical Branch and remained there until her retirement in 2007. Dee held a variety of positions at UTMB, all of which utilized her sharp mind for numbers and her excellent interpersonal skills. 

While working at UTMB, Dee met and married William “Bill” Otte. They had two sons, William Karl “Trey” Otte and Christopher Lance “Chris” Otte, who were their greatest joys. She and Bill were married 58 years and lived in Galveston, Texas City, Huntsville and League City during the course of their lives together. Each place they lived, Dee made scores of friends thanks to her friendly, outgoing personality and zest for living. 

A devoted Catholic, Dee served as Grand Regent of the Catholic Daughters of America, Court Star of the Sea #228. She was also actively involved in her sons’ activities, volunteering in their schools, as an active Scouting mom in LaMarque, and as a committee member of the O’Connell Treasure Ball Association. Upon retirement and a move to Huntsville, Dee served as President of the Huntsville Memorial Hospital Auxiliary and was elected to the Board of Directors of the Elkins Lake Recreation Association. When they moved from Huntsville to League City, she volunteered at Mainland Center Hospital. 

Dee is survived by her husband Bill, her son Trey, his wife Patti and their son Will; her son Chris, his wife Jennifer and their sons Carson and Carter; first cousins Robert Bastien and his wife Debbie; Armand Bastien and his wife Sandy; and Claudia Stevens, in addition to a large and loving extended family. She is preceded in death by her mother Ellen, father Paul and granddaughter Kate Otte. 

Services will be held at J. Levy & Termini Funeral Home, 2128 Broadway, on Galveston Island. Visitation will be held at 1:00 pm on February 3, 2023 followed immediately by a rosary at 2:00 pm and a memorial service at 2:30 pm. A private interment will be held on Saturday, February 4, 2023. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in her honor to a charity of your choice.

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