Donn Henry Horchler
July 22, 1924 - December 9, 2009
Donn Horchler, 85, formerly of Lexington, Ohio, passed away Wednesday morning, Dec. 9, 2009, in Traditions of Chillicothe, his home for the past 16 months.
Donn’s sage advice when it came to second helpings of good food is “Why be uncomfortable when you can be miserable?” He became quite the cook, roasting up a mean pork roast, braising sweet-n-sour short ribs or searing a pan fall of Scallops Mornay. He could enjoy a dish in a restaurant and go home and replicate the dish.
Born July 22, 1924, in Mansfield, Ohio, to Carl and Lena (Schmutzler) Horchler, he graduated from Lexington High School in 1942. He furthered his education by earning his B.S. in Bacteriology in 1946 from The Ohio State University, where he marched with The Ohio State University Marching Band.
Though Donn worked for a short time at the steel mill, he opened his own chemical analysis business, Lexington Scientific Laboratories. He specialized in water sampling and bacteriology testing for wells and for Culligan dealers across the country.
Because he operated the laboratory from his home, he often engrossed his children in chemical experiments and explanations of chemicals in nature.
Donn was a member of the Lexington Local Schools Board of Education, serving as president of the board while Western Elementary was being built.
His interests in nature led him to found Lexington’s Boy Scout troop and lead the scouts on numerous hiking expeditions to the Adirondack and White Mountains. He was a member of the Adirondack Mountains Club, and Mansfield Sailing Club where he guided his lightning sailboat “Lotzen”.
“There was never a dull moment”... with Donn and his canine sidekick, a Jack Russell terrier named Nomie. He was also an accomplished artist, specializing in oil paintings of landscapes.
Following his retirement he served under contract with the Cleveland Museum of Natural History as a bryologist; he categorized and cataloged mosses on a county-by-county basis across Ohio. He was a member of Mohican Nature Plant Society and The Native Plant Society of Northeastern Ohio.
He is survived by his children and their spouses, Jeff and Judi Horchler of Milan, Tim and Marianne Horchler of Thomasville, Georgia, Laura McDaniel of Chillicothe, and Sally and Phil Thompson of Reynoldsburg, Ohio; stepchildren, Anita Miller and Craig Smith, both of Mansfield; grandchildren, Matt Evans, Todd and Lisa Horchler, Andrew Horchler, Katee and Sean Gardner, Lindsay and Ryan Eldridge, Scott Miller, Alex Thompson, LiQiong Horchler and Jing Lei Horchler; and great-grandchildren, Jake Horchler and Emma Horchler.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 30 years, Patricia Ann (Smith) Horchler in 2005; his former wife, Nancy (Falconer) Horchler; stepson, Steven Smith; his parents; brother, Carl Horchler Jr.; and sisters, Dorothy Nixon and Jean Zumsteg.
The Horchler family extends their heartfelt thanks to the compassionate and dedicated staff of Traditions of Chillicothe, for their attentive care for Donn.
They will receive friends from 1 p.m. Saturday in Lexington Avenue Snyder Funeral Home, 2553 Lexington Ave., Mansfield, until his service at 3 p.m. The Rev. Marilou Brook will officiate.
Contributions in his memory, to Gorman Nature Center, may be made at the funeral home.
Donn was a member of the marching band in 1943. Although Donn did not play a brass instrument, his ability as a woodwind player was a welcome addition that enabled OSU to field 120 pieces during WWII.
