Obituary for George Kottemann
George J. Kottemann, 83, of Peoria died Wednesday June 1 at UnityPoint Health Methodist Hospital after a brief illness. He married Norma (Rodems) Kottemann on June 29, 1952; she survives. He is also survived by two children, Kathy (Jim) Wire and Karl (Suzi) Kottemann, both of St. Louis, five grandchildren: Philip (Chelsea) Wire, Kara (Roi) Castellanos, Patty (Allan) Thompson, Kristin Kottemann and Leslie (Patrick) Spellman, one great granddaughter and his sister, Dorothy Westly. He was predeceased by his parents, Freda and William H. Kottemann and his brother, William P. Kottemann. George practiced orthodontics in Peoria for 34 years, and was active in many local and national professional organizations. He held leadership roles in a number of Peoria civic groups, including the Peoria Art Guild and Easter Seals. With Norma, he helped to establish the Kottemann Gallery of Dentistry at the University of Illinois Chicago Dental School and the sculpture studio at Bradley University’s Heuser Hall. George led alumni activities at Peoria High School and the University of Illinois. He was instrumental in fundraising and planning for the sculpture “Portal,” recently erected on Washington Street in Peoria. After he retired from orthodontic practice, he had a second professional career in forensic dentistry and served with DMORT to identify disaster victims, including several weeks in New York after 9/11. He and Norma traveled extensively, often to places that allowed them to indulge in their love of contemporary art. A memorial service will be held Friday, June 19, 2015 at 10 a.m. at the Universalist Unitarian Church, 3000 W. Richwoods, Peoria. In lieu of flowers, memorials to the Peoria Art Guild, the University of Illinois College of Dentistry or the Universalist Unitarian Church.
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