Otto Weitzenkorn

Otto Weitzenkorn passed peacefully at home on Saturday, May 3, 2025, with his wife and daughter at his side. Otto is survived by Elaine, the love of his life and wife of over 68 years, his two children, Ron (Alice) and Joan Wadler (Marc), and four grandchildren, Anne Weitzenkorn (Alex Azizi), Emma Weitzenkorn (Cristian Chiriboga), Katie Wadler Price (Nicholas) and Jacob Wadler. Otto was preceded in death by his parents, Arnold and Frieda and his brother Paul. Otto was a dedicated and loving son, husband, and father and perhaps the best grandfather in Central Florida.

Otto Weitzenkorn was born on May 14, 1928, in Mayen Germany. His parents Arnold and Frieda owned a clothing store specializing in knit goods. The family prospered until the Nazis came to power in 1933. Nazi persecution of the Jewish population in Germany directly impacted the Weitzenkorn family – business suffered from boycotts, Otto’s school was closed, and other freedoms were taken away. On the evening of November 9, 1938, Otto heard the store’s glass windows being shattered and the store being vandalized. Frightened, Otto ran to hide in the upstairs bathroom. From the window he saw the synagogue in flames. Worst of all, his father was arrested and taken to Dachau. This pogrom, known in the US as Kristallnacht or the Night of Broken Glass, was the final straw. Otto’s mother Frieda negotiated Arnold’s release in exchange for the family agreeing to sell their property at a severe loss and leave the country.

In Spring 1939 the family arrived in New York City thanks to an uncle’s willingness to vouch for the family. The Weitzenkorns struggled initially to adapt to a new country and a new language. Over time, however, Otto’s story was truly part of the American Dream. After serving in the U.S. Army in Germany as a translator / liaison with the German press, Otto joined his parents in Dade City, Florida, working in and ultimately taking over his parents’ clothing store which he renamed Otto’s. He was a successful businessman who enjoyed developing and leasing properties. Otto was very civic-minded and loved his life in Dade City. He served on various boards of directors, brought the first sidewalk sale to town, manned the Halloween cake walk attraction for years, and funded the city’s Christmas lights one year.

Otto retired from the retail business in 1990 and devoted himself to his Dade City properties, a business he truly enjoyed. Otto and Elaine moved to Tampa where they led an active social life with family and friends from the Schaari Zedek congregation. Otto was a generous man who supported many local and national charities.

Influenced by his own childhood experiences as well as his family’s fate under the Nazis, in later years Otto told his family’s story to various groups and individuals in the U.S. and Germany, usually concluding his talk with the words, “Don’t let it happen again.”

A graveside service will be held, Wednesday May 7, 2025 at 10:00 AM at Woodlawn Cemetery(3412 N Ola Ave, Tampa, FL 33603) followed by a Memorial Service at Congregation Schaarai Zedek at 11:30 AM (3303 W Swann Ave., Tampa, FL 33609).

The Memorial service will be live streamed at 11:30 AM at https://www.zedek.org/ondemand/streaming/

May his memory be for a blessing.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Congregation Schaarai Zedek Tampa, FloridaTampa Jewish FederationTop Jewish Foundation for the benefit of Weinberg Village