Donald Hoese
November 11, 1937 — September 30, 2016
Donald Charles Hoese, age 78 years formerly of Niles, Michigan died peacefully at 5:40 a.m. on Friday, September 30, 2016 at his home in South Bend, Indiana following an extended illness.
He was born on November 11, 1937 in Niles to Glen William and Myrtle Ceora (Nichols) Hoese, Sr. He was graduated from Niles High School and – he often said – the school of hard knocks. He was a freight conductor on the railroad for over thirty years, beginning with the Wabash Railroad, later Conrail, and finally Norfolk-Southern; and was a member of the United Transportation Union. Many of his fellow trainmen will remember him as “Doc” or Doctor Don.
He attended the Christ Chapel church in South Bend. He enjoyed hunting and fishing, watching NASCAR and the rodeo. He and his wife traveled in their RV, often to Traverse City, Michigan and Branson, Missouri.
On August 5, 1989 at their home in South Bend, he married the former Connie Jo (Rose) Nowak with whom he celebrated last month the twenty-seventh anniversary of their wedding.
Surviving family includes his wife, Connie Hoese; and children Dawn (& Gary) Wilson of Osceola, Indiana, Sherry Kienitz of Mishawaka, Indiana, Jim Nowak and Chad (& Vi) Nowak, both of South Bend, Jason (& Rachelle) Nowak of Walkerton, Indiana, and Kristalyn Brey of Osceola; grandchildren, Donette (& Casey) Bender, Emily Hardin, Kyle, Coledin, Jared, Logan, Kennedy, Jordan, Arianna, Briane, Ariel, Alexis, Tyler, Makayla, Cierra, Nevaeh, and Savannah; great-grandchild A.J. and Don’s siblings, Glen (& Barbara) Hoese, Robert Hoese, Virgil (& LeAnn) Hoese, and Herschel (& Helen) Hoese, all of Niles; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, and by a brother, Captain Walter F. Hoese, U.S.Army, Retired who died in 1998; and an infant sister Carol Kaye Hoese who died in 1943.
The funeral service for Don Hoese will be at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 8, 2016 at the Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles with Mr. Glen W. Hoese, Jr., brother of Donald officiating. Committal will follow at Riverview Cemetery in South Bend.
The family will receive relatives and friends from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m. on Friday at the funeral home. Contributions in memory of Don Hoese may be made to Saint Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, Tennessee 38105.