Dorothy Marie (Riepenhoff) Nadler

Dorothy Marie Nadler

LEIPSIC – Dorothy Marie (Riepenhoff) Nadler, 89, of Leipsic, died Monday (June 22, 2020) at the Defiance Inpatient Hospice Center.

   She was born Dec. 15, 1930 in Miller City to Harry and Phyllis (Meyer) Riepenhoff. On Nov. 27, 1954 she married Bob Nadler at St. Nicholas Catholic Church, Miller City. The couple had been childhood classmates at Miller City School and their love story blossomed while Bob was fighting in the Korean War. They were blessed to celebrate their 65th wedding anniversary together last November, before the Covid virus changed the world.

   Dorothy was a 1952 graduate of Ohio Dominican University (then St. Mary of the Springs College), Columbus, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in home economics. Following graduation she was employed by the Ohio State Agricultural Extension Service from 1952-54 as a home economics instructor.

   While raising her family she taught home economics and English as a substitute in the Leipsic Local Schools and for a time was an instructor in the school system’s migrant education program. Later she worked at the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation as a claims administrator for Putnam County. She also worked as a Census volunteer at one point.

Dorothy was an extremely active member of St. Mary Catholic Church, Leipsic, for six decades, serving as a Eucharistic Minister and as an RCIA training team member. She and Bob together were co-chairpersons for the church’s Renew program. The couple were also devoted to their Farm Bureau neighborhood group. Dorothy was very involved in the VFW and American Legion auxiliaries.

   Along with her husband, she is survived by her three children, Karen (Dan) Cota, Bowling Green; Tim (Alexis) Nadler, Leipsic; and David (Chris) Nadler, Dayton;  seven grandchildren, Caroline Cota-Buckhout; Shannon Forsbach; Elisabeth Eby; Liam, Kelly, Steven and Grace Nadler; one brother, Robert Riepenhoff, Miller City; one sister-in-law, Dorothy Pohl of Lima; and one brother-in-law, Frank Cooke, Raleigh, N.C.

   She was preceded in death by two sisters, Rosemary Cooke and Marie Riepenhoff-Talty; and four brothers-in-law, Paul (Clara) Nadler, Dick Pohl, Joe Gallagher and Tom Talty.

   A Funeral Mass will be 10:00 a.m. Saturday, June 27, 2020 at St. Mary's Catholic Church, Leipsic with Fr. William Pifher officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. Visitation will be from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday at Love-Heitmeyer Funeral Home, Leipsic and one hour prior to the mass on Saturday at St. Mary's Parish Life Center. 

   In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Putnam County Home Health and Hospice or to a charity of the donor's choice.

   Condolences may be expressed at www.lovefuneralhome.com