Daniel Schoedinger

Daniel H. Schoedinger, of Columbus and Whitefish, MT, died in a bicycle accident in Montana on July 27. Dan was born on September 5, 1944 to Mary Harris Schoedinger and William O. Schoedinger. He was a loyal and loving son, devoted husband, wonderful father, doting grandfather, great friend, talented attorney and a gentleman. He had a love for the American west that he carried with him throughout his life. He graduated from Lehigh University in 1966 and then, seeing an opportunity to further his education while ensconced in the mountains, attended the University of Denver Law School in 1969. Following his graduation from law school, Dan returned to Columbus where he clerked for C. William O'Neill, the Chief Justice of The Ohio Supreme Court from 1969-1971. He spent his career as a real estate and development attorney at Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease where he was a partner. From 1972-1979 he served on Columbus City Council - elected as the leading vote getter in his first city-wide race. He decided not to run for re-election, walking away from a promising political career in which he was identified as a probable candidate for Mayor and devoting himself instead to the full-time practice of law. Upon his retirement in 2010, he found himself free to pursue many and varied passions. In 2011 he rode his bicycle across the US in a fund raising effort for Action for Children, where he served as a trustee from 1984-1992. He also served as trustee for the Central Ohio Breathing Association since 1995. He learned to sculpt (animals being his favorite subject) in recent years. From his parents he inherited a love of travel. He was unlikely to pass up an opportunity to share a glass of red wine, a bowl of ice cream or a good story. Woven through all of this was the American west, a passion he indulged as often as he could and one he shared generously with friends and especially with family. As a young attorney he took a sabbatical and loaded his family into an RV heading out west visiting many of the national parks. A life-long and accomplished skier, he not only kept up with, but still bested many a fraction of his age. His grandchildren would all attest to his tireless willingness to play in the snow, even on the heels of rigorous skiing. Summertime in the mountains meant happy days filled with hiking and biking. He loved to share the beauty of Bowman Lake, nestled deep within Glacier National Park... particularly after first sharing a huckleberry bear claw at Polebridge Mercantile. Dan is preceded in death by his mother Mary Harris Schoedinger. He will be deeply missed by many, and especially: his wife Diane Bennett; children Tara (Arne Metzger) Schoedinger, of Jamestown, CO; Arrin (Alisa) Schoedinger, of Portland, OR and their children Poppy, Edie, and Inez; Christy (Andrew) Rosenthal, of Bexley, and their children Grace and Lily; Diane's children Mark (Ashlea) Bennett and their children Lake and Bryson, of Dallas, TX; and Jill (Clay Iman) Bennett, of Denver, CO; his father William O. Schoedinger of Scottsdale, AZ; sisters Peggy Schoedinger of Boulder, CO, and Nancy (Pat) Hurley of Paradise Valley, AZ; nephew Mike (Alli) Makowski and niece Katherine Makowski; nephew Justin (Andrea) Hurley and their children Alana and Eden; and nephew Ethan (Amy) Hurley and their children Finn and Reef. Memorial service will be held in Columbus in October. Arrangements by Schoedinger Midtown Chapel. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Action for Children, Central Ohio Breathing Association, or Planned Parenthood in Dan’s memory.