Douglas E. Hefner

After a 15-month battle with lymphoma, Doug Hefner, age 83, of Wooster, Ohio, passed away peacefully on October 30, 2026, with his family by his side, at Ohio’s Hospice LifeCare.

Douglas Eugene Hefner was born on May 6, 1943, in Lima, Ohio, to the late David and Marcelle Hefner. He was the second of their five children. He grew up in Lafayette, Ohio where he played football, basketball, and baseball. He was a 1961 graduate of Lafayette High School. At a basketball game as a sophomore, Doug met the love of his life, Delia Orchard. Together, they had three daughters while Doug attended college and apprenticed as an electrician in Lima. Douglas was a 1971 graduate of Ohio Northern University. After college, he moved his family to Medina, Ohio, where they had a fourth daughter and lived for over 25 years.

Doug’s first jobs were as a farmhand and in a grocery store. His professional career was spent as an electrical engineer with Lake Erie Electric in Westlake, Ohio. He was a member of IBEW Local 32. He was proud to have run the electricity for the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame and scoreboard of Jacob’s Field in Cleveland. Doug retired as a partner from Lake Erie Electric in 2007.

In 1998, Doug moved to Jeromesville, Ohio where he greatly enjoyed being a gentleman farmer and part of the Jeromesville community. Being a homeowner in Lakeside, Ohio for over ten years provided many wonderful memories for his family. While he was raised in the Lutheran church, Doug was a member of the United Methodist Church in Medina, Jeromesville, and Wooster. At the age of 80, he was an integral founding member of Living Faith Church of Wooster.

Doug was the embodiment of hard work, high standards, strength, precision, and fairness. He took seriously the job of providing for his wife and family. He was admired for always doing the right thing. Doug was humble, successful, and respected. In his spare time, he enjoyed fishing, gardening, playing cards, reading, mowing, woodworking, and watching the nightly news. Doug could fix almost anything. He was generous with his time, abilities, and resources. He was a faithful husband whose first priority was always his wife. His love for Dee was an example to others. He was a devoted and honorable father. Doug found great joy in the events and accomplishments of his grandchildren. He will be greatly missed until we meet again in Heaven.

Douglas is survived by his wife of 65 years, Delia (Orchard) Hefner, their four daughters, Debbie (David) Browne of Loveland, Deanna (David) Wakeman of Bexley, Dawn (Jay) Peters of Cuyahoga Falls, and Denise (Gary) Rader of Wooster, grandsons Douglas (Kate) Browne, Drake (Claire) Browne, Robert (Machaela) Peters, Michael (Connor) Peters, Nathanial (Nicole) Peters, Drew Rader, Josh Rader, Nick Rader, his only granddaughter, Sarah (Michael Martin) Wakeman, three great-grandsons, and four great-granddaughters. He is also survived by his sisters Meredith (Roger) Fessler and Marilee (Dennis) Dellifield, brother Charles (Martha) Hefner, and sister-in-law Donna Hefner. Douglas was preceded in death by his parents and youngest brother, Nathan Hefner.

Friends may call on Friday, November 6, from 5:00-7:00 p.m. at Roberts Funeral Home, 7067 Cleveland Road in Wooster. A funeral service will be held at Living Faith Church of Wooster, 2020 Noble Dr, at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 7. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Ohio’s Hospice LifeCare of Wooster or Living Faith Church of Wooster.