Tributes

Richard Alfred (Dick) Donnenwirth, July 16, 1932 – November 10, 2024, was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio, surrounded by two loving parents, a maternal grandmother and several other close relatives from both sides of the family. Florence Donnenwirth, nee Woodrow, and Oliver (Donnie) Donnenwirth were both active and connected Methodist laypersons in local parish church life as well as church organizational culture on state and national levels. So from an early age, Dick learned about the necessary interrelatedness of the sacred and the secular. Methodist Youth Fellowship was of equal importance to week-day schooling. His education progressed through mid-20th century graduation from Upper Arlington High School, Ohio Wesleyan University, Boston University School of Theology and further into post-seminary training, Master’s degree and doctoral studies. Classroom learning was greatly enhanced through on-sight clinical practice at Boston State Hospital and Massachusetts Mental Health Center. Ordination as a Methodist minister as well as certification in the Institute of Pastoral Care (later known as the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education) and Diplomat status in the American Association of Pastoral Counselors, of which he is a Charter Member, increased his national professional reputation. Short work in Houston and Galveston, Texas, as well as pastoring a small Methodist church in Malden, Massachusetts, eventually landed him as a Chaplain at Bethesda Oak Hospital for 15 years where he started Cincinnati’s first Clinical Pastoral Education program as well as an outpatient Pastoral Counseling Center. In 1983 he left Bethesda (Trihealth) to establish a pastoral counseling center I Kenwood (first psychotherapy Institute, then Professional Pastoral – Counseling Institute. Which closed in June 202, having grown from three practitioners in 1983 to 21 three-plus decades later. He retired in June 2020. Meanwhile, his personal life moved through a 24-year first marriage, raising two children, a divorce in 1979 and a marriage in 1985 Rosalie Laurenti, fellow Chaplain and Pastoral Counselor and the most spirit-filled and deeply-fulfilling life partner that a person could be blessed with. They have lived at Twin Lakes since June, 2021. Dick is survived by his wife, Rosalie; his two children, Jack Donnenwirth (Columbus) and Ellen Donnenwirth (Raleigh, NC); two living grandchildren Maria Donnenwirth and Ben Brown; as well as another grandson, J.R. Donnenwirth deceased at age 26; 2 great-grandchildren, Tyler and Coralai Donnenwirth. A memorial service will be held at Twin Lakes Chapel on Tuesday, November 19th at 11AM. Cremation ashes will be interred at Greenlawn Cemetery, in Plymouth, Ohio. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Life Enriching Community Foundation, Twin Lakes’ Pastoral Care Division.

Tributes

Richard Alfred Donnenwirth

July 16, 1932 - November 10, 2024