Dr. Duane Nodine

1948 - 2020

HAMILTON - Dr. Duane (Doc) A. Nodine left this world and started a new journey on Sunday, May 24, 2020, while a patient at Parkview North Medical Center.

Duane was born on Jan. 16, 1948, the fourth child and only son to Mabel (Goe) and Silas H. Nodine in Waterloo, Indiana.

Growing up in Waterloo, he appreciated the workmanship of now historic cars and the heritage of the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Company in Auburn, where his father worked at one time. Nodine & Son, a Sinclair Station his father owned east of Waterloo, had a strong presence in Duane's childhood stories, pumping gas and fixing some of the now vintage relics.

Duane graduated with the class of 1966, from Waterloo High School. He was an avid basketball player and one of his fondest memories was playing on the Waterloo Basketball team that beat Garrett in the sectional his junior year.

Duane spent his summers at Hamilton Lake, working at Cold Springs Golf Course, beginning his lifelong love for the game of golf.

Following high school, Duane attended Manchester College. He was accepted into IU School of Dentistry, graduating in 1973.

He joined Dr. James McPheeters in Bluffton, Indiana, following his graduation from Dental School. By 1977, he had established his own private dental practice, Nodine's Gentle Dental. He also had a satellite dental office in Markle, Indiana, for many years.

Duane met his future wife, Fritzi, at Hamilton Lake, where her parents rented a lake cottage from Duane's family. Fritzi and Duane were married on Dec. 20, 1974, at St. John the Baptist Church in Payne, Ohio, in the midst of a blizzard. Until his last day, he loved telling people he was in Payne (pain) when he got married!

Happily married for 45 years, Duane and Fritzi have three children, Sarah (Will), of St. Louis, Missouri, Jon (April), of Louisville, Kentucky, and Bailey, of Indianapolis, Indiana. Duane was proud of his four grandchildren, and was thrilled to be their 'DocDoc', Jones and Lola Nodine and Louie and Olive Wulff.

Duane was a life member of the American Dental Association as well as the Issac Knapp Dental Society. He was also a member of the Xi Psi Phi Dental fraternity. He enjoyed his membership in the Bluffton Lions Club as well as the Elks.

Duane was a member of First Presbyterian Church in Bluffton, where he had served as an Elder.

He sold his dental practice in 2015, and continued to work for Hott Family Dental on a part-time basis until June 2019. Doc loved dentistry, and his patients and staff were a great joy to him during his life. He completely believed that a great smile could accomplish anything, and he worked hard to provide this for all his patients.

Duane and Fritzi finally moved to their beloved Hamilton Lake full time a year ago, although their lives (as well as their families and friends) are and have always been painted with summers and holidays at their own piece of heaven that they built together - Nodine Pointe.

Additional survivors include Duane's three sisters, Merriel Myers, of Waterloo, Indiana, Patricia (Don) Korff, of Greenfield, and Sally (Ike) Bonecutter, of Celina, Tennessee. Fur-ever with a dog companion by his side, Duane loved and will leave behind his two Aussies, Frank and Nellie.

The safety of the family and all visitors are our utmost priority. For everyone's safety, we ask that you practice social distancing while at our facility, and the wearing of masks is optional. We will invite a limited number of guests in the facility at a time. We appreciate your cooperation and patience.

Services will be held at Thoma/Rich, Lemler Funeral Home in Bluffton on Saturday, May 30, 2020, at 4 p.m., with the Rev. Lyle Ewing officiating.

Visitation will be held from 10 a.m., to 4 p.m., on Saturday, prior to the service.

Private interment will be held at a later date.

Preferred memorials are to Visiting Nurse - Hospice and Palliative Care in Fort Wayne Indiana.

Doc's arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Thoma/Rich, Lemler Funeral Home in Bluffton.

Friends can share memories and messages of comfort with the Nodine family at www.thomarich.com.