Louis George Bott Sr.'s Obituary
Louis George Bott Sr. passed away on Friday, May 30th in his home in Pleasant Hills, PA at the age of 93. His final days were spent with his wife and children, under hospice care.
Lou was born on October 24, 1931 in Pittsburgh to Louis Edward and Leona Marie (Brickner) Bott. The eldest of three children, Lou grew up in Pittsburgh with his parents and two beloved siblings. He graduated from St. Joseph High School in Mt. Oliver in 1949 and later studied accounting at Robert Morris College. Lou proudly served his country in the U.S. Army as First Cook, feeding thousands of troops during the Korean War.
After returning from Korea, Lou married Joan Sylvia (Macklen) on September 8th, 1956. Shortly after getting married, Lou & Joan moved into their first and only home (which Lou helped build) in Pleasant Hills. Lou spent his career in the grocery business. He was a Store Manager for the Kroger company, owned a Foodland franchise in Monessen and finished his career as Assistant Meat Manager for the Bethel Park Giant Eagle. Lou's creativity and attention to detail earned him multiple industry awards for his innovative merchandise displays in his Monessen store.
Lou was married to the love of his life, his dear wife Joan, for nearly seventy years. They enjoyed being active and trying new things together including: ballroom dancing, ice fishing, square dancing, clogging, round dancing (Joan sewed their matching outfits and Lou made his own bolo ties), duck hunting, bow hunting and making beautiful ceramic creations they gave as gifts to family and friends.
Lou was a true Renaissance Man who loved nature and had a deep curiosity for the world around him. Through the years, Lou could be found horseback riding, fishing, taking leadership and communication courses, gardening, following the stock market, or raising and keeping many different animals (e.g., quail, rabbits, hawks, ducks, a snapping turtle, a skunk, etc.) sometimes even in the family living room! Musically inclined, in his younger days Lou played lead guitar and recorded with Louie George's Quartet. He was also an avid award-winning tropical fish breeder and ran a licensed tropical fish business in the basement of their home which was featured in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette. Occasionally, Lou would pick up a solid piece of wood and a knife, and with an artist's eye carve a beautiful deer or bird and share it as a gift with a loved one.
Lou was a sportsman at heart. One of his favorite pastimes was deer hunting with his wife, daughters, sons, brother and dear friends. He almost always came home with a deer that he processed himself and would sometimes tan, stuff and mount for display. The entire Bott family was often seen on the archery trails of the Clairton Sportsmen's Club where Lou was a trophy-holding archer.
Lou had a special fondness for his friends and neighbors; and if you came to visit Lou you would probably be asked to play a game of Mexican Train Dominoes or challenged to a game of Chess or Backgammon.
Above all, Lou deeply loved his dear wife and children and devoted himself to providing for them.
Lou is survived by his wife, Joan; children, Mary Joan Bott, Valerie Bott, Louis Jr. (Sally) Bott, Gregory (Paula) Bott, Daniel (Cindy) Bott, and Michelle (Joseph) Hayden; grandchildren, Chas Cravotta, Jason Cravotta, Shawna Syme Ricci, Melissa Syme Dammond, Clint Koenig, Sara Bott, Bill Bisbey, Brian Bisbey, Danielle Bott, Darlene Bott Almasy, Madalyn Hayden; 21 great grandchildren; 3 great great grandchildren; sister Lois Cannon; and many beloved nephews, nieces, friends and neighbors.
He was preceded in death by his grandson Kevin Bott, his great grandson Kingston Dammond, his parents, his brother Leon Bott, and many other dear relatives and friends.
A Commital Prayer service with Military Honors will be held at 2:30pm on Wednesday June 4, 2025 at the National Cemetery of the Alleghenies, 1158 Morgan Rd, Bridgeville, PA 15017. Please meet the family by 1:15pm at Jefferson Memorial Funeral Home to process to the Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to Wounded Warriors at support.woundedwarriorproject.org
Online condolences can be made at jeffersonmemorial.com.
What’s your fondest memory of Louis?
What’s a lesson you learned from Louis?
Share a story where Louis' kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Louis you’ll never forget.
How did Louis make you smile?