Otto Arnvig Faaborg, 91, died Feb. 7 at his home in Ames.

Otto was born to Simon and Astrid Faaborg on Sept. 22, 1932, and was raised on a farm near the Danish community of Kimballton, Iowa. Although he went into a career in education, his farm boy roots and experience growing up during the Great Depression were foundational to his personality and his view of the world.

Otto attended a one-room school, Sharon No. 8, through eighth grade, often riding his pony Buster to school. He graduated from Elk Horn High School in 1950.

He married his high school sweetheart Shirley Johnson on Oct. 24, 1952. They had three children, Rhett, Rand and Ronna.

Otto was drafted into the U.S. Army and served a hitch as a paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne Division. After his honorary discharge, Otto attended Grand View, Iowa State and Drake University, earning a bachelor's degree in math education. He earned a master's in school administration from the University of Northern Iowa in 1970 and received his superintendent certification in 1975. He taught and/or was an administrator at several Iowa schools, including Bondurant, Ocheyedan, Calamus, Parkersburg, NESCO, Boone Valley in Renwick, Clearfield, Yale-Jamaica-Bagley and Exira. He was passionate about small Iowa schools. After retiring from the Exira school district in the mid-1990s, Otto and Shirley moved to Ames to be close to their kids and grandkids, attending countless sports and arts activities for their grandchildren and great-grandchildren over the years. Otto missed being in education and came out of retirement to teach math at Ames High School and substitute teach at Ballard, which he continued into his 70s.

Otto continued to enjoy adventures at an advanced age, including attending the Old Threshers Reunion in Mount Pleasant, where he camped alone in a tent for four nights at age 90. He instilled his kids and grandkids with a love of the outdoors and an appreciation for nature.

Otto enjoyed collecting old Studebaker cars, watching Cyclone and Hawkeye basketball, rooting for the teams of all his alma maters, birdwatching, gardening and reading. He was a political enthusiast and enjoyed gathering weekly with his friends at Democrats Drinking Liberally to discuss politics and current events.

Otto is survived by his children, Rhett and Denise Faaborg of Nevada, Rand and Tammy Faaborg of Radcliffe, and Ronna Faaborg of Ames; grandchildren, Tara and Chad Andersen of Ankeny, Tyler Faaborg and Katie Decker of Radcliffe, Soren and Amy Faaborg of Nevada, Tanner Faaborg of Des Moines, Ranae and Kevin Dietzel of Jewell, Trey Faaborg of Ames, T.J. Lawless and Taylor Hinton of Ankeny, and Riley and Calvin Hartz of Jewell; great-grandchildren, Chloe, Lucy and Simon Andersen, Ada and Otto Faaborg, Sterling and Scarlett Dietzel, and Ryker and Riggs Hartz; sisters- and brothers-in-law, Dick Jacobsen of Gig Harbor, Washington, Marcia Johnson of Ogden, and Dale and Carolyn Johnson of Rudy, Arkansas; many nieces, nephews and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his wife Shirley; parents, Simon and Astrid; siblings, Inger Marie and Emil Noelck, Sigrid and John Riddle, Einar and Elain Faaborg and Edna Jacobsen; and sister- and brothers-in-law, Ruby and Levi Ackart and Clifford "Sam" Johnson.

Visitation will be held from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 13, at the Rasmusson-Ryan Funeral Home in Nevada, with a service at 6 p.m.

The family requests that memorials be directed to the Story County Democrats, storydems.org.

Rasmusson-Ryan Funeral Home in Nevada is handling arrangements.  Condolences may be shared with the family online at www.rasmussonfh.com.