Richard Christian Doenges passed away peacefully Monday, August 24 from complications after a fall in his home at Oak Hammock in Gainesville, FL. Richard, or Dick as most friends knew him, was a gentle man with a huge heart and giant passions—literature and especially all things Herman Melville, classical music, nature, and his wife, Audrey Clark. He lived his life as he once wrote, “Love your neighbor for his sake, not yours. Let’s all enrich this world, staving off death with good health and good will.” Dick was a wonderful, brilliant, and steadfast man, husband, and father. He will be missed greatly. Dick was born October 19, 1927 in Fort Wayne, IN. He served in the Army after high school and was stationed as a weather observer in the Aleutian Islands. Dick then went on to earn his B.A. in English at DePauw University and his M.A. at Brown University where he met his first wife, Elspeth Hart Doenges. His entire professional career was spent at the University of Bridgeport where he was Associate Professor of English for many decades and then later served as Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences. In retirement Dick enjoyed travelling, and it was on one of these trips to Europe after the death of Elspeth that he met Audrey and found love again. He soon built a new life with Audrey and her family matching the devotion his children continued to enjoy. In addition to his wife Audrey Clark of Gainesville, Dick is survived by his brother Norman Doenges and his wife Pam Doenges of Hanover, NH; his son Richard Crawford Doenges, his wife Mary Beth Brown and grandsons, Ryan H. Doenges and Douglas B. Doenges of Olympia, WA; his son James M. Doenges and his wife Teresa H. Doenges of Littleton, CO; and his daughter Catherine E. Doenges and her partner William Burke of Fairfield, CT; and numerous nephews and nieces. Equally sharing in Dick’s life, and he with theirs, were Audrey’s children: Dr. Sarah Herbert of Atlanta, GA; Dr. Carl Herbert of Sausalito, CA; Mrs. Jacquelyn Bartlett of San Francisco, CA; Mr. Peter Herbert of Atlanta, GA; and Mr. Scott Herbert of Atlantic Beach, FL. Dick was preceded in death by wife Elspeth Hart Doenges, his parents Arthur and Elsie Doenges, brother Byron Doenges, and sister Evelyn Doenges Wisner. A memorial service will take place on September 14 at noon in the Jacky Durrell Pavilion in Fairfield, CT. (http://www.fairfieldct.org/content/2765/2789/2811/3036.aspx). In lieu of flowers please send any contributions to Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (http://www.alzfdn.org).
