Edward J. Oteri of Tewksbury, who was raised and educated in Medford and will be buried there, died Friday, November 6, 2026, at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. He was 73.
He was the son of the late Edward G. and Joan M. (Crispo) Oteri. He served in the Navy aboard the USS Constitution, the frigate berthed in Charlestown, and after his service lived for more than 20 years in North Reading before moving to Tewksbury. He also spent five years in Thailand, where he met his wife, Laoong.
He owned a bar and later ran a canteen truck for more than 20 years, and he also worked as a salesman in the automotive business. At home his Italian heritage showed up at the table, in meals his family remembers as excellent. He was a devoted sports fan, baseball above all, and he adored his German shepherds.
He was the father of Alex Oteri and his wife Nikki, and Jared Oteri, and his family includes their mother, Valerie (Roketenetz). He was close to his late in-laws, Ida and Adam Roketenetz of Woburn. He was the grandfather of Hadley and Alaia and the brother of Donna Macdonald and her husband Brian. He also leaves his cousin Guy Oteri, who was like a brother to him and whose family his relatives credit with much of his care, as well as many nieces, nephews and friends.
Visiting hours are Friday, November 13, from 9 to 10:30 a.m. at the Dello Russo Funeral Home, 306 Main Street, Medford, concluding with a service at the funeral home. Relatives and friends are invited. Burial follows in Oak Grove Cemetery, Medford.
In place of flowers, the family suggests donations to the German Shepherd Rescue of New England at gsrne.org or to the MSPCA.
Compiled from information published by Dello Russo Funeral Home. Photograph courtesy of the family via Dello Russo Funeral Home. This is our own summary, not the family’s obituary; read the full obituary and leave a condolence at the funeral home’s page on Legacy.com. Corrections: we will fix any error promptly.
