Fred W. Ortmann III
COLUMBIA — Retired Col. Fred William Ortmann III, 67, son of Fred W. Jr. and Elizabeth Chandler Ortmann of Sumter, died Feb. 8, 2013, in his home in Columbia, after a long battle with cancer.
He is survived by his wife, Sheryl Cudd Blenis Ortmann, retired partner of Nelson Mullins law firm; and two sons by a previous marriage, Fred William Ortmann IV and his wife, Palmar, of Greensboro, N.C., and Clayton Edward Ortmann and his wife, Nia, of Albuquerque, N.M. Col. Ortmann was the proud grandfather of five beautiful grandchildren, Rollins, Fred V, Isley, Colter and Quinn. He is also survived by a brother, Joseph Chandler Ortmann and his wife, Libby; and three nieces, Sallie, Anna and Catherine, all of Sumter.
Col. Ortmann adored his family and will be greatly missed by his family and friends.
Col. Ortmann graduated from the University of South Carolina in 1967 with a bachelor of science in business administration. After graduation from USC, he entered the U.S. Air Force and was assigned to the U.S. Air Force Medical Service Corps. While in the service, he earned a master’s degree in hospital administration from Baylor University. Col. Ortmann’s assignments in the Air Force included tours of duty in Cheyenne, Wy.; Thailand, during the Vietnam War; and two tours in Washington, D.C., first at Andrews Air Force Base, where he was selected to be a military social aide to the president of the United States, and subsequently in Washington for four years as deputy director of financial management in the U.S. Air Force Surgeon General’s office. He also served a tour of duty on staff at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo. His last assignment was as administrator of Kirtland Air Force Hospital in Albuquerque. His achievements received praise from members of Congress and special recognition by the Department of Defense. Col. Ortmann was awarded the Legion of Merit and received a Bronze Star Medal before his retirement in 1989.
After a distinguished career in the Air Force Medical Service Corps, Col. Ortmann was recruited by AmSurg, a Nashville, Tenn., public corporation, to be their vice president of center development. While at AmSurg, he was responsible for the development and initial operation of new ambulatory surgery centers. Col. Ortmann subsequently “retired” from AmSurg and returned to his native state of South Carolina, where he devoted his energy and talents to developing and managing ambulatory surgery centers for various entities, both hospital and physician groups, throughout the United States, as president and CEO of Ortmann Healthcare Consultants LLC, based in Columbia.
Col. Ortmann was a member of many associations and organizations related to his former service in the Air Force Medical Service Corps and his lifelong career in healthcare administration, including the United States Air Force Medical Service Corps Association, the White House Military Aides Association, and the American College of Healthcare Executives Diplomate. Above all, Col. Ortmann enjoyed mentoring young people. He was a frequent guest lecturer at numerous state and local health care meetings and served as an adjunct faculty member for several programs in healthcare administration, including at the University of South Carolina School of Healthcare Administration.
A memorial service with full military honors will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at the Church of the Holy Cross at Stateburg, 335 N. Kings Highway, Sumter, with Father Daniel Clarke Jr. officiating.
A reception will follow at the Parish Hall for friends and family.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials be made to the Church of the Holy Cross, a National Historic Landmark, 335 N. Kings Highway, Sumter, SC 29154 or the American Cancer Society.
Online condolences may be sent to www.sumterfunerals.com.
Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home and Crematory of Sumter is in charge of the arrangements, (803) 775-9386.