Independent Weekly 9/25/07

By PATRICK O'NEILL In late July, Otto Mintz, sick with congestive heart failure, left his homeless encampment behind the Garner K-Mart for the last time, and took the CAT bus to Wake Med. On Aug. 1, Otto died. Although many of the homeless die alone, and without mention on the obituary page, such was not the case for Otto, a guitar playing man with a ready smile who made lots of friends during his years living in the woods near one of Garner's busiest shopping districts. Cindy and Al Boyce, who are part of the Church in the Woods ministry, which Otto sometimes attended, made sure Otto's obituary and picture were published in the News &Observer. Along with Church in the Woods founder, Alice McGee, and others, a memorial service was planned for Otto at the Ernest T. Myatt Presbyterian Church. "They need to know that homeless people are loved too," Cindy Boyce said. At the Aug. 23 service, which would have been Otto's 57th birthday, an eclectic group of people began to arrive. Those who knew Otto as the guy who held a sign at the corner of Old Stage and Fayetteville roads, volunteers with the homeless, and the homeless themselves, many of whom also lived in the woods in tents and makeshift hovels, filed into the church. This would prove to be no ordinary church service in memory of a man who was twice hospitalized after being hit by cars. McGee said people "truly grow" when they get to know those who are different from themselves. "They have lived things that we haven't lived." David Roberts, a man who brings food, sleeping bags and other essentials to those living in the woods, read his remarks. While preparing his comments, Roberts said Jesus "imaged Otto's joyous face from heaven above into my mind's eye. Then I cried tears of joy. Then Otto spoke to me and said, 'I love you.' And still crying I responded, 'I love you too Otto.' Now isn't it fulfilling to know that Otto is enjoying heaven's peace and heaven's bliss? ... I must say Otto was a kind and generous man." In the rear of the church, a man said, "God Bless Otto. God Bless Otto. God Bless Otto." Several times during the service, Otto's friend from the woods, Melanie Lewallen, was moved to stand up and pray or shout words of praise about Otto. "My dog Delilah - she will chew anybody up, she don't care - she was born on Otto's bed," Lewallen yelled. "Now I've had her seven years. Hallelujah." Mike Montague, another person who ministers to the folks in the encampment, said he considered Otto a friend. "Just meet Otto one time and you knew he was a kind person; he had a good soul; he had a good heart. You could just tell. I'm going to miss him." Following the service, the mourners enjoyed a meal of fish, potatoes, other vegetables, bread and pie. Otto Mintz is survived by a son, Jeffrey Mintz; brothers Tim and Dennis Mintz and sisters, Sharon Mintz and Karen Ramsey. He was buried beside his parents in Port Huron, MI.