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Passman was the son of sharecroppers from Franklinton, the seat of government for Washington Parish in southeastern Louisiana. Washington Parish was the home of another political giant in Louisiana politics, state Senator [[B. B. "Sixty" Rayburn]] of Bogalusa. Current Democratic [[Governor]] [[John Bel Edwards]] is another politician from Washington Parish. Passman dropped out of school to work odd jobs but enrolled in night school thereafter to complete his high school education. He later studied at Soule Business College in Bogalusa. "He was a smart man, a self-educated man," said Paul Fink, Passman's [[attorney]] for more than four decades.<ref>Billy Hathorn, "Otto Passman, Jerry Huckaby, and [[Frank Spooner]]: The Louisiana Fifth Congressional District Election of 1976," ''Louisiana History:  The Journal of the Louisiana Historical Association'', LIV No. 3 (Summer 2013), p. 333; hereinafter cited as ''Louisiana History.''</ref>​

Passman was the son of sharecroppers from Franklinton, the seat of government for Washington Parish in southeastern Louisiana. Washington Parish was the home of another political giant in Louisiana politics, state Senator [[B. B. "Sixty" Rayburn]] of Bogalusa. Current Democratic [[Governor]] [[John Bel Edwards]] is another politician from Washington Parish. Passman dropped out of school to work odd jobs but enrolled in night school thereafter to complete his high school education. He later studied at Soule Business College in Bogalusa. "He was a smart man, a self-educated man," said Paul Fink, Passman's [[attorney]] for more than four decades.<ref>Billy Hathorn, "Otto Passman, Jerry Huckaby, and [[Frank Spooner]]: The Louisiana Fifth Congressional District Election of 1976," ''Louisiana History:  The Journal of the Louisiana Historical Association'', LIV No. 3 (Summer 2013), p. 333; hereinafter cited as ''Louisiana History.''</ref>​

In 1929, having relocated to Monroe, he formed Passman Equipment Company, which was involved in the manufacture of commercial refrigerators and distributed hotel and [[restaurant]] supplies and electrical appliances. During his time in business, friends said that Passman learned the value of money and developed compassion for the poor. For a time, he was in business with a nephew, Charles Stanley Passman (1924-2009). He was twice married but had no children.<ref>''Louisiana History,'' p. 333.</ref>​

In 1929, having relocated to Monroe, he formed Passman Equipment Company, which was involved in the manufacture of commercial refrigerators and distributed hotel and [[restaurant]] supplies and electrical appliances. During his time in business, friends said that Passman learned the value of money and developed compassion for the poor. For a time, he was in business with a nephew, Charles Stanley Passman (1924–2009). He was twice married but had no children.<ref>''Louisiana History,'' p. 333.</ref>​

In [[World War II]], Passman was commissioned a [[lieutenant]] in the [[United States Navy]] and served from October 11, 1942, until his discharge as a lieutenant commander on September 5, 1944. He returned to his mercantile business and remained a staunch advocate of a strong U.S. military force.<ref>''Louisiana History,'' pp. 333-334.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=P000098|title=Passman, Otto Ernest|publisher=bioguide.congress.gov|accessdate=January 8, 2020}}</ref>​

In [[World War II]], Passman was commissioned a [[lieutenant]] in the [[United States Navy]] and served from October 11, 1942, until his discharge as a lieutenant commander on September 5, 1944. He returned to his mercantile business and remained a staunch advocate of a strong U.S. military force.<ref>''Louisiana History,'' pp. 333-334.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=P000098|title=Passman, Otto Ernest|publisher=bioguide.congress.gov|accessdate=January 8, 2020}}</ref>​