Otis received his formal education in the public school and graduated in 1975 from Meridian High School in Mississippi. He entered the United States Navy on July 28, 1981 in Chicago, Illinois and was honorably discharged on July 1, 1985 in San Diego, California.

After moving to Fort Wayne, Indiana he later decided to be in patient care and studied to become a Certified Nursing Assistant at MedTech College in 2010.

Otis was a devoted member of Pleasant Grove Conservative Mennonite Church of Fort Wayne.

He leaves to cherish his memory to his mother, Juliene Sutherland; siblings, Odell Dubose (Parveen), Albert Dubose (Vonda), Erick Dubose (Phyllis), Paula Dubose and Jessica Dubose (Ronzell); aunties, Vera Dubose and Ceila Henderson; an uncle, Charles Parham (Jean); with a host of nieces, nephews and friends.

Preceding him in death are his grandmother, Annie Parham and by his aunt, Bernice Macon.