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Show SERVICES FOR FORMER CHIEF HELD IN PROVO Otto Frank Birk, 52, native of American Fork and former Provo police chief and Utah county sheriff's sher-iff's officer, died Monday afternoon . at his home in 'Provo, after a year's illness. Mr. Birk was born here June 17, 1886, a son of Frank and Sarah Hardy Birk. He married Myrtle Hoggard, March 4, 1907, at American Fork. He became chief criminal deputy in the county sheriff's office in 1921, when he moved to Provo. He served in this office until 1928, when he was appointed Provo police chief, a position posi-tion he held until 1934. He was elected president of the Utah Peace Officers' association in 1934. He was appointed a two-year director di-rector on the state bureau of criminal crimi-nal investigation in 1931, by Governor Gover-nor George H. Dern. He was employed em-ployed by the Utah Power & Light company until the time of his death. He served in the United States navy from 1903 to 1907 and was employed em-ployed by the Utah Copper company at Bingham from 1909 to 1919. He was an outstanding baseball enthus- iast, starting active participation in the sport when he was captain of the navy baseball team on Good Island. He played professional baseball base-ball with the Oakland team, later. He managed the Provo baseball club for many years, resigning in 1934. Surviving are his widow, Mrs, Myrtle Myr-tle H. Birk; a son and a daughter, Dr. Arthur F. Birk of Los Angeles and- Mary Birk of Provo; a sister and two brothers, Mrs. Violet Gardiner Gardi-ner of Salt Lake City; Albert Birk of American Fork and Arthur C. Birk of Tekoa, Washington, and three step'-sisters, Mrs. Margaret Donahu of Salt Lake City; Mrs. Emily Green of American Fork; Mrs. Agnes Lott of Lehi and Mrs. Mazie Kellingworth of Whittier, California. Funeral services were conducted Thursday afternoon in the Provo First ward chapel. |