Nicholas R. "Nick" Doenges

Nicholas Robert Doenges passed away Friday, February 12, 2016 at his home. He was born December 6, 1941 in Lima, Ohio to Eileen (Hasson) Lawhead Doenges and Robert Lawhead. In 1948, his mother married his beloved “Pop,” Vernon E. Doenges and they shared a very special relationship throughout their lives. Growing up in the Wapak area, Nick attended St. Joseph Elementary School. Hoping to follow in the footsteps of his maternal uncle, Hugh Hasson, he attended Brunnerdale Seminary for one and half years before graduating from St. Joseph’s High School in 1959. After a year at the University of Dayton, he joined the US Navy and while stationed in Japan, met Tomoe Fujii. They married in Las Vegas on February 18, 1963; Nick, a fan of amateur poker, always said it was the “best bet I ever made!” After the Navy, he worked for appraisal companies and moved 18 times to various cities in Tennessee, North Carolina, Ohio and Iowa, eventually becoming the Woodbury County Assessor in Sioux City, Iowa. In 1979, he became the Davenport (Iowa) City Assessor. Upon retiring in 2008, he and Tomoe moved back to his hometown of Wapakoneta, Ohio. In his spare time, he coached various sports for many years, but his favorite was the Holy Family 6th grade Blue basketball team (Davenport). He taught CCD for many years in both Davenport and Wapakoneta. He sang in the Resurrection Choir at St. Joseph’s along with his “Pop.” He also took over the Wapak Daily-News “Looking Back” column from his father. He enjoyed watching sports, and in his healthier days, riding his bicycle “Baka,” on Mississippi River trails and around Wapak and often took the path of his childhood Wapak Daily News delivery route. Car trips to Las Vegas were a favorite but the very best were trips to spend time with his beloved grandchildren, the Blue Grass Boys, Jo-Jo and Sweet Pickle. Nick was an imaginative and clever writer, a talent he shared with his mother. Once he discovered email he started sending entertaining stories to family and friends. These stories wove local history, family lore and current events into tall tales that amused and sometimes inspired. At one point, Nick requested a prayer for someone in need. Then a friend asked him to send a prayer request for another person in need. Nick felt strongly about the power of prayer and quickly turned his communication skills to sending petitions for spiritual assistance among his email correspondents. Today, that prayer line includes a growing group of people across the US. He is survived by his wife, Tomoe, his children Vernon (Georjeanna) Doenges and Donna (Richard) Lindberg; grandchildren, Nicholas Lindberg, Daniel Lindberg, Jordan Doenges and Julia Doenges; his sisters, Nina Stuckey, Noreen Wise and Nell (Bill) Chadwick; nieces, nephews and many, many cousins. He was preceded in death by his mother Eileen Doenges, his father Vernon Doenges and brother Hugh, in infancy. A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30AM, Tuesday, February 16 at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Wapakoneta with Father Dan Hunt officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. Visitation will be from 5:00PM to 8:00PM on Monday, February 15 at Bayliff & Eley Funeral Home, Wapakoneta. Memorials can be made to the church or charity of the donor’s choice.

Nicholas R. "Nick" Doenges

December 6, 1941 - February 12, 2016