Ottmar (Otto) Rudolf Wemmer, 86, passed away on Friday, January 27, 2017 at his home in Columbia, South Carolina.

Mr. Wemmer leaves behind his lovely wife of 55 years, Elvira R. Wemmer; his beautiful daughters, Diana W. Stevenson and Yvonne W. Van Slyck; sons-in-law, Hal W. Stevenson and Nicholas H. Van Slyck; his grandchildren, Alexander W. Stevenson (Rebecca K. Stevenson), Hannah R. Stevenson, Noelle D. Stevenson, Grace Y. Stevenson, Jacob W. Stevenson, Sophia G. Van Slyck, Jackson E. Van Slyck, Charles P. Van Slyck; and great grandson, Calvin W. Stevenson. He is predeceased by his brother, Heinz Karl Wemmer of New York. His family was his pride and joy.

Born on Dec 1, 1930 in Stuttgart, Germany, Mr. Wemmer was the son of Karl and Anna Maria (Buecheler) Wemmer. As a young child and teenager, he attended the Linden Schule in Untertuekheim, the Haupt Schule in Bad Cannstadt and, due to the constant bombings during WWII, the school was moved to a church and monastery in Rot an der Rot, Baden Württemburg. In his youth, he was a top-100 gymnast in Germany, a sport he loved and excelled at over many years. He came to the United States in 1956 and immediately enlisted in the US Air Force where he was stationed at Shaw AFB in Sumter, SC. In 1960, he became a proud and very patriotic citizen of the United States. While visiting his brother in New York City, as fate would have it, he met a beauty from Bogota, Colombia and they married in 1961.

After a stint in real estate, Mr. Wemmer, a lifelong inventor and entrepreneur, owned and operated his own chemical/small equipment business. As a former member of Rockbridge Country Club, he enjoyed tennis and figure skating with his daughters. For many years he participated in the Annual Ice Shows in starring roles such as Maurice Chevalier and the Fiddler on the Roof. Alongside his daughters, he too competed in figure skating competitions in GA, TN and NC, winning medals in several adult categories.

Mr. Wemmer loved the Lord. He was a committed member of First Presbyterian Church where he served as a Deacon over several years and was named Deacon Emeritus in 2015.
A memorial service will be held at 2pm, Monday, January 30th, at First Presbyterian Church with visitation following in Jackson Hall to celebrate his life. Shives Funeral Home, Trenholm Road Chapel, is assisting the family.

The family would like to thank the Blue Ridge Hospice nurses for their excellent care and loving service.

Memorials may be made to First Presbyterian Church, 1324 Marion Street, Columbia, SC 29201