Robert & Elizabeth Rotta

Bob Rotta, 76, died on May 6, 2013 at the scene of the crash. Bob was born on May 14, 1936 in Seattle, WA to parents Ervin A. and Edith M. Rotta. He grew up in the Ravenna area of Seattle. He loved the outdoors and was a dedicated Boy Scout, earning the rank of Eagle Scout in his teen years. Bob graduated from Roosevelt High School, Seattle in 1954. From there he attended the Univ. of Wash., playing in the marching band, but ultimately graduated in 1958 from Seattle Pacific College (SPC) with a B.S. in Microbiology. During these years he joined the Naval Air Reserves, stationed in Seattle, for eight years. At SPC, Bob met Betty Gustafson and they soon married. He worked with the Health Department in Port Angeles, WA as a health inspector, overseeing the entire Olympic Peninsula. While in Port Angeles, all three of their children were born. Moving to Seattle and then Bellevue, WA in the early 1960’s, Bob worked for Rotta Sheet Metal Inc., a family business, for about 20 years. Bob later joined Boeing where he eventually retired after more than 20 years as an estimator.

Bob enjoyed travel, outdoors, hiking, gardening, volunteering, and numerous church ministries. His faith in God and love of Jesus shone throughout his life as he ministered to people of all ages both directly and through serving on various church boards. He sang in church choirs for many years.

Betty Rotta, 75, died on May 7, 2013 at Harborview Med. Center in Seattle, WA. Betty was born on August 26, 1937 in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, China as the only child of missionaries Rev. Reuben and Esther Gustafson. She grew up in the interior of China, experiencing difficult years of war, famine and political revolution, while her family served the Lord by ministering to the Chinese people through TEAM mission’s work that began with her grandparents who went to China as pioneer missionaries in the 1890’s. Beyond China, the family moved to various places in Asia, including Taiwan, where she taught English over the radio and worked with a former head hunting tribe as a teenager. She also lived in Canada. Betty’s education included boarding schools in China and India, as well as correspondence courses and an American military school in Japan. She was fluent in Chinese and English, and also spoke Swedish and Japanese. She told many stories of harrowing adventure and ministry, seeing God work miraculously throughout her life and in the lives of those around her.

Finally settling in Seattle, she attended SPC, where she met Bob Rotta. They married and began their lives together on Sept. 6, 1958, at First Covenant Church in Seattle. Three children were born in Port Angeles, WA. The family later settled in Bellevue, WA. Betty’s life was filled with Christian ministry through: teaching, mentoring, writing, praying, and speaking for many Christian and civic groups. She spread the love of Jesus to all she met, through word and encouragement, as everyone she met was her friend. She and Bob worked tirelessly in ministry together, both formally and informally, their entire lives.

Bob and Betty enjoyed travel and the outdoors, but their faith in God and love of family were most important to them. They were active and vibrant parts of the lives of their children, grandchildren and friends. They were wonderful parents and grandparents to 13 blessed grandchildren. They will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved them.

Bob is preceded in death by his older brother Ervin Alvin Rotta in 2006. Bob and Betty are survived by their children: Phillip (Laura) Rotta, Kendall Rotta, Renae (Matt) Meyer and grandchildren: Neil, Jeff, and Hannah Rotta; Carrie (Thomas) Gerhardt; and Lendl (Denise), Ketura, Kellen, Gavin, Jocelyn, Talis, Kalkidan, Melat, and Zeze Meyer.

A memorial service was held at 2pm on June 1st at Westminster Chapel, 13646 NE 24th St Bellevue, WA.

Gifts may be given in memory of Bob and Betty Rotta to:

Westminster Chapel Missionary Care Fund

13646 NE 24th Street, Bellevue, WA 98005 (425) 747-1461

(www.westminster.org)

Checks should be Payable to: Westminster Chapel with Rotta Memorial on the memo line

Overseas Radio & Television, Inc. (ORTV)

130S. First Avenue, Arcadia, CA 91006, USA 406-388-1544

(www.ortv.com/ortv_ad/GiftstoORTV)

Checks should be payable to: Overseas Radio & Television, Inc., with “Bob & Betty Rotta memorial” on the memo line

The Evangelical Alliance Mission (TEAM)

PO Box 969 Wheaton IL 60187-0969 (800) 343-3144

www.team.org

Checks should be payable to: TEAM, with “Bob & Betty Rotta memorial” on the memo line