Clyde Henry Dornbusch

1930 - 2024

Clyde Henry Dornbusch

December 25, 1930 - April 23, 2024

West Columbia, South Carolina - Clyde Henry Dornbusch was born in and grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio. A Christmas baby, he was born on December 25, 1930, to Bertha Black Dornbusch and Arthur Elmer Dornbusch. He died on Tuesday, April 23, 2024, at his residence in the Still Hopes Episcopal Retirement Community in West Columbia, South Carolina. He leaves behind his beloved wife, Joan, of 71 years, their daughter, Paula Gordon (Malcolm) of Columbia, their son, Neal Dornbusch (Deborah) of Lexington, Kentucky, their grandchildren, Alex Dornbusch (Aleja) of Lexington, Kentucky, Katherine Dornbusch Turkington (Daniel), of Lexington, Kentucky, Richlee Gordon of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, and Nicole Gordon Tada (Andrew) of San Francisco, California. They were also blessed with three great grandchildren, Noah Turkington of Lexington, Kentucky and Esmée Keaton of San Francisco, California, and Keaton Tada of San Francisco, California.

Dr. Dornbusch graduated Phi Beta Kappa from DePauw University (IN) with a major in English. He then earned an MA and a Ph.D. in American literature from Duke University (NC). He was fortunate to be a scholarship student from his freshman year at DePauw through his graduate degrees at Duke.

After graduate school, Clyde taught at Wake Forest University (NC). He also taught at Ohio Northern University in Ada, Ohio, where Clyde spent 30 years as a professor of English and administrator. Though his graduate advisor wanted him to teach at a large university and devote himself to research, he preferred to teach and to mentor students as he had been mentored in his undergraduate years. Many of his students became lifelong friends.

Clyde and Joan retired to Columbia, South Carolina in 1992 to be near Paula and her family and within a day's drive of their son Neal's family in Lexington, Kentucky. In Columbia, they volunteered for 15 years at Richland Library and at USC's Cooper Library. Clyde also wrote winning grant proposals for awards for schools and community organizations. In 2012, Clyde and Joan moved to Still Hopes Episcopal Retirement Community to a stimulating environment where they found further friendships and activities.

Clyde and his wife travelled extensively in the U.S. and around the world to many countries on five continents. Twice they even had the advantage of living abroad- a summer in England and nine months in Singapore to help improve the English of students who hoped to enroll in U.S. universities. In his retirement he continued to read a variety of books- fiction and non-fiction, including biography, history, science.

A private burial will be held at Greenhaven Preserve in Eastover, South Carolina. A reception will be held at a future date at Still Hopes Episcopal Retirement Community and will be announced by Shives Funeral Home, Trenholm Road Chapel.

The Dornbusch's paid forward the goodwill they received during their youth on Cincinnati's west side, and today that tradition continues as the young people they inspired promote the arts to new generations. Clyde and Joan will be perpetually recognized at Cincinnati Landmark Productions through The Dornbusch-Hendricks Endowment Fund. Clyde and Joan Dornbusch will forever be recognized in their hometown as ambassadors of the arts.

Memorial gifts to the Dornbusch-Hendricks Endowment may be made at "clpshows.org" then click the "donations" button in the left column, then in the dropdown box for where the donation should go, select "Dornbusch Hendricks Endowment. Checks may be sent to Cincinnati Landmark Productions, 4990 Glenway Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45238, with "Dornbusch" on the memo line

Also, in lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Still Hopes Episcopal Retirement Community, 1 Still Hopes Dr, West Columbia, SC 29169, the Humane Society International, 1255 23rd Street, NW, Suite 450, Washington, DC 20037, or a charity of your choice.

Memories and condolences may be shared at ShivesFuneralHome.com.