The publication is reproduced in full below:
REMEMBERING THE HONORABLE OTTO BEATTY, JR.
______
HON. TIM RYAN
of ohio
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, May 18, 2021
Mr. RYAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of the Honorable Otto Beatty, Jr., of Columbus, Ohio, who passed away May 14, 2021 at the age of 81.
Mr. Beatty, the husband to our distinguished colleague, Congresswoman Joyce Beatty, was an attorney and former state lawmaker, a leading figure in the fight for racial equality in Ohio. The couple married in 1992.
As a lawyer, Otto was able to successfully use his Columbus law firm to fight discrimination and fight for a more even playing field for Black and minority-owned businesses.
A true public servant, Mr. Beatty was first elected to the Ohio House in 1979, spending the next 18 years advocating for the disadvantaged, as well as for health care access and tort reform, He also served as special counsel to the Ohio attorney general, counsel to what would become the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus, and chair of the Ohio Commission on Minority Health.
Mr. Beatty was born in Columbus and received bachelor's and master's degrees from Howard University and a law degree from the Ohio State University. His grandmother, Mayme Moore, was a civil-rights activist who stood alongside the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. and helped found the Columbus NAACP.
Otto and his family have been trailblazers and strong advocates in many ways--true inspirations to us all. Besides his wife and my friend, Congresswoman Joyce Beatty, Otto is survived by two children: daughter Laurel Beatty Blunt, a judge on the 10th District Court of Appeals, and son Otto III, a Columbus attorney.
There is no doubt that Mr. Beatty was an absolute giant, a man deep with integrity and great business and political skills. I will remember him for his wonderful sense of humor and how much he adored Joyce. I was very sad to hear of his passing and my prayers go out to the gentlelady, Mrs. Beatty, and to all of Otto's family and friends. He has left behind a tremendous legacy in Central Ohio and for the entire state.
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SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 86
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