We regret to advise of the death of Captain Ottmar George Kiltz, CD (Ret’d) on 18 July 2026 in Kelowna, BC. Ottmar served with the Canadian Military Engineers for 33 years and was the Canadian Military Engineer Chief Warrant Officer (1983- 85).
Ottmar was born in Stari-Vrbas, Yugoslavia (now Serbia), and immigrated to Canada in 1954. He enrolled as a Sapper in the Canadian Army in 1956 and completed his field engineer training at the Royal Canadian School of Military Engineering at Camp Chilliwack, BC. Upon graduation, he joined the staff of RCSME, where he served with the Military Engineering Squadron Demonstration Troop.
Ottmar was posted to 3 Field Squadron in Chilliwack in 1958. Promoted to Corporal in 1961, he returned to RCSME as an instructor in Recruit Squadron. He was next posted to 4 Field Squadron in Werl, Germany and remained with the squadron when it relocated to Lahr in 1970. In 1971, he was promoted to Warrant Officer and posted to 5e Escadron du Génie de Campagne in Valcartier, QC for a three-year tour before he returned to 4 Field Squadron in Lahr in 1974 as the Squadron Sergeant Major.
Promoted to Chief Warrant Officer in 1976, Ottmar returned to Canada the following year to serve at National Defence Headquarters in the Life-Cycle Management Section, where he was responsible for field engineer equipment. In 1980, he was appointed Base Chief Warrant Officer at Canadian Forces Base Chilliwack and served in that role for three years.
CWO Kiltz returned to National Defence Headquarters in 1983, where he became the third Canadian Military Engineering Branch Chief Warrant Officer. He was commissioned to Captain in 1987 upon completion of this appointment and posted to Vancouver as a member of the Pacific Region Regular Support Staff.
Ottmar retired from the Canadian Armed Forces in 1990 and built their retirement house in Kelowna, BC. Ottmar was very active in retirement, serving as president of the Kelowna Garden Club for ten years, volunteering with the RCMP for many years and later with the Kelowna General Hospital.
Funeral arrangements were private. Ottmar was buried at the Kelowna Memorial Park Cemetery on 23 July 2026.