THOSE SOON TO BE IN OUR HISTORY

 

The Obituary read: 

Milton Ota, 73, passed away at his home in Fargo, North Dakota, under the care of HIA Hospice.

Milton was born on December 3, 1952, in Honolulu, Hawaii, to Raymond Mareto and Chieko (Yoneshige) Ota. He graduated from McKinley High School in 1971 and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in general music from the University of Hawaii in 1976.

 

On September 4, 1999, Milton was united in marriage to Charlene Ota in Honolulu. Together, they shared a love of travel, often attending conventions and expos focused on advancements in assistive technology for the blind—an interest that was especially meaningful to Milton. He dedicated nearly 30 years to his work as a braille proofreader for the Library for the Blind in Honolulu, where he took great pride in supporting accessibility and staying informed on new developments in the field.

 

In 2012, Milton and Charlene moved to Fargo, where they built many lasting friendships. Music was a central part of Milton’s life. He shared his talents generously through church and community groups and was especially devoted to the worship team at Atonement Lutheran Church, which held a special place in his heart. A longtime member of the Lions Club since 2000, Milton also found meaningful ways to serve others through his involvement there. He was most often seen playing his ukulele or guitar, though he enjoyed many instruments over the years.

 

He is survived by Charlene Domier Ota, wife; Mr. B., cat; Catherine Ota Ayabe (Clyan Ayabe), sister; 2 nieces and 1 nephew; an aunt and uncle on his father’s side.

 

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the National Federation of the Blind, including Milton Ota in the memo, to go toward establishing the NFB Newsline in North Dakota. This is a service for people with print disabilities to access hundreds of newspapers, magazines, job ads, grocery ads, and TV schedules through phone and internet service. Milton was an avid user of the service, reading newspapers every day because he still had his old account with Hawaii.

 

But there was so much more to Milton. He was a self-taught adaptive technology expert. His skills were appreciated by many who were never charged for his expertise.

 

As a child with limited vision, he was sent to the Diamond Head School for the Blind in Honolulu. Having a fair amount of vision, Milton went to the public schools for a part of his school day in the second grade using large print. For some blind children, being introduced to large print at a young age limited their ability to become a fast or proficient braille reader. Not Milton. With his thirst for knowledge, he loved reading braille and it was the most efficient format for him throughout the rest of his working career and retirement life.

 

In High School, Milton played drums in a school band. He later played accordion in a rock and roll band. During college he mastered the piano and performed as a solo artist in Hawaii.  But music did not pay the rent. For Milton, music was a passion that brought him pure joy when he played. He shared that love of music with family, friends, and his church.

 

We will miss you Milton.