Otis Warren, Jr.

Otis Warren, Jr., the son of the late Rose Odessa Campbell Warren and the late Otis Warren, Sr., was born in Baltimore, MD, on August 25, 1942. His sister, Jackie and brother, Bernard preceded him in death. Otis transitioned peacefully on January 10, 2023, after a lengthy illness. He was surrounded by loved ones throughout his care. As a child, he showed his entrepreneurial spirit and honored hard work. He had a paper route in his early years and worked at his father’s High’s ice cream store. Otis loved ice cream and found unique ways to sample various flavors in the store. However, his father cautioned him about “eating up the profit.” Otis attended Baltimore City Public Schools, graduating from Douglass High School. Despite his challenges with undiagnosed dyslexia, he maintained a lifelong thirst for knowledge. He attended Baltimore City Community College while working part-time as a janitor, cleaning a high-rise office building located downtown. Otis would sit in the office during breaks and imagine himself as a boss, owning luxurious buildings. He later worked for the Baltimore City Government in the Payroll Department. There, he was instrumental in writing the computer programming for the department. Then, he left City Government to help his father with his real-estate business; the rest is history. After joining his father in business, Otis expanded the company to The Otis Warren Group, providing residential and commercial development, management, leasing, and sales services. One of his many accomplishments is the development of the City Crescent Building. Otis’s resilient nature was displayed throughout his career, especially during this project. Over 100 lenders denied him financing for this development. Still, he did not give up on his goal and was successful in his endeavors. This made him the first African American developer of a major commercial building in Baltimore City. Otis sat on numerous boards and developed a great sense of philanthropy. In 1982, he became the first Black President of the Greater Baltimore Board of Realtors. This organization once excluded his father from membership. He also served as President of the Real Estate Brokers of Baltimore. His favorite organizations to support were The Associated Black Charities and The Urban League of both Baltimore and West Palm Beach. Otis received many awards and accolades for his work, including being named a Baltimore Sun Hall of Fame Honoree in 2019. Over the course of his time with The Otis Warren Group, he developed lasting friendships with the staff and others he met in his business. He retired to Florida, but looked forward to spending his summers in Baltimore. Though Otis greatly appreciated the honors he received throughout his life for his entrepreneurial work, he was most proud of being a loving husband, father, and friend. From the union of Otis and Mary Warren (ending in divorce), they were blessed with one son, Otis Warren, III (OT), in 1976. In 1986, Otis married Dr. Sharon Warren. Otis, Mary, and Sharon formed a bond centered around being great parents and supporters of OT. They were proud of their ability to co-parent. In addition to being a devoted family man and astute businessman, Otis indulged in the joys of life. He dabbled in boating and named his one and only vessel “Odessa Rose,” after his mother. He also enjoyed traveling, especially his trips to Hawaii and Montreal. Two of the highlights of his life were attending the Atlanta Olympics and traveling to Ghana with OT. Otis also loved sports. He and Sharon were avid tennis fans who learned to play late in life and attended numerous US Open tournaments together. He was a staunch Ravens supporter and attended both Superbowl games. He was also a fan of the University of Maryland men’s basketball team, attending their college championship game. Otis supported the Arts and Culture scene through his love of music and fine art. He enjoyed attending the Rehoboth jazz festival and enthusiastically collected artwork by both local and renowned black artists. Otis leaves to cherish his memory: loving wife Sharon; son Otis Warren, III (OT) and his fiancée Sharnice along with her daughter Brooke; niece Elaine Davis; nephew Kevin Warren and his wife Carla along with their children Kevin, Jr., and Zoe; cousins David Harris, Lewis “Calvin” Skelton, Marian Lewis, Nicky Lewis; brothers in law James Jones, Jr., Allen Jones and his wife Elaine; nieces Shelby, Dana, Erin; nephew James Lawrence Jones; Godchildren Sydnie Taylor, Clifton Cole; and a host of other family and friends.

Tributes

Otis Warren, Jr.

August 25, 1942 - January 10, 2023