John Richard Ortli, of Upper Arlington, Ohio, passed away of sudden cardiac arrest on Saturday, February 4, 2023 while on an annual ski trip with his lifelong friend in Pennsylvania. He was surrounded by his loving family and friends at the time of his passing at Riverside Methodist Hospital.
John was born on December 21, 1971 in Kremmling, Colorado, to Patricia and the late Richard Ortli. The family moved to Bellefontaine, Ohio, in 1972. He graduated from Bellefontaine High School in 1990, where he earned varsity letters in both baseball and football and made many lifelong friends. John then attended Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. He was a member of the Delta Upsilon fraternity and earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering in 1995. John and Julie met during a homecoming event his senior year. They married in 1998 and lived in Worthington, Ohio, before moving to Upper Arlington, Ohio, in 2004 where they raised their two children. May would have marked their 25th wedding anniversary.
After college, John began his successful career as a civil engineer. He began as a project manager and site designer for CBC Engineers & Associates, Ltd in Dayton, Ohio. After moving to Columbus in 1996, John worked for EMH&T, Resource International, and ADR & Associates, Ltd. He last worked at URS and AECOM where he was a project manager/consultant for 17 years leading numerous high profile projects both statewide and nationally.
John’s greatest joy was being a father to Nicholas and Lauren. He was an incredibly supportive and devoted father who never missed an opportunity to spend time with his family. He loved to attend his kids sporting events and take them on annual trips.
John was always prepared. His family nicknamed him the “boy scout” because he would pack for road trips thinking of everything that might be needed…extra water, band-aids, sunscreen, tools – literally, no problem couldn’t be solved when you were with John because he had your back.
John was a pure soul. He knew no enemies and to know John was to have a friend. He cared about everyone and would do anything for anybody, any time. Kind, loving, genuine, heartfelt, and dedicated embody who John was. He also had so much empathy and compassion for others. John will always be remembered for his quirky sense of humor, his hugs that felt like he was pulling you into his heart, and his love for his family and friends.
Left to cherish John’s memory are his loving wife, Julie (Washburn) Ortli; adoring children, Nicholas Ortli and Lauren Ortli; caring mother, Patricia Ortli; sister, Diane (Robert Jr.) Ortli-Raymond; in-laws, David and Bonnie Washburn; and sister-in-law, Kimberly (Todd) Washburn Macy as well as many loving nieces, nephews, cousins, life-long friends and constant four-legged companions Cooper and Lilly.
John was preceded in death by his father, Richard Ortli.
A visitation for John will be held Wednesday, February 15, from 4 to 7 p.m. at Schoedinger Northwest, 1740 Zollinger Road, Columbus, OH 43221. A celebration of life memorial service and reception will occur Thursday, February 16, at 1 p.m. at the same location. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the American Heart Association in John’s name. Please visit www.schoedinger.com to share memories and condolences.
