Date of death: 8/8/2010
Saint Meinrad Class: O 1972
Father Jeffrey John Guido Nordhaus, 63, of Custer, Ohio, passed away peacefully while surrounded by his family. He was born the tenth of twelve children to Guido and Delores Nordhaus on September 11, 1946. Father Jeff was a proud graduate of Assumption Collegiate High School in Windsor, Ontario; Saint Meinrad College, and Saint Meinrad School of Theology in St. Meinrad, Indiana. He was ordained a priest in the Toledo Diocese on May 27, 1972. Over the years Father Jeff lovingly served in many parishes as both an associate and full pastor. His churches included Sacred Heart Church in Fremont; St. Aloysius Church, Bowling Green; St. John the Baptist Church, Toledo; St. Patrick’s Church/Nazareth Hall, Grand Rapids; St. Mary, Clyde; Mother of Sorrows, Put-in-Bay; St. Michael’s, Kelly’s Island; and most recently St. Louis, Custar and Immaculate Conception, Deshlar. In order to serve his country, Father Jeff enlisted in the Navy as a chaplain in 1982. He began his service with the 1st Force Service Support Group, Fleet Marine Force, 1st Medical Battalion at Camp Pendleton. From there Father Jeff was stationed at the Naval Station in Pearl Harbor. He then completed a tour with the United States Coast Guard Support Center in Kodiak, Alaska where he was promoted to Lieutenant Commander in 1987. Father Jeff was then posted to the United States Marine Corps Headquarters, Headquarters Battalion at Arlington National Cemetery where he led services for fallen soldiers and veterans. While in Arlington, he was responsible for the Catholic Sea Services Burial Detail and participated as a White House Chaplain. After successfully completing the Navy Chaplains Advance Course in Newport, RI, Father Jeff was stationed at the Naval Support Facility in Diego Garcia. From there he went back to Camp Pendleton with the Marine Corps. Father Jeff retired after completing a final tour of duty with the Navy at the Naval Air Station in Barbers Point, Hawaii in 1998. He was a recipient of the Navy Commendation Medal, Coast Guard Commendation Ribbon and the Fleet Marine Force Ribbon along with many other medals and ribbons. Father Jeff enjoyed traveling because of all the wonderful people he met. He loved camping trips with his close friends and was an avid boater. Jeff was scuba certified and made numerous diving trips on the world’s coral reefs. Most of all Father Jeff enjoyed and cherished his life long friendships. He was preceded in death by his parents; his sisters, Laone Trese, Gretchen Schaefer, Anita Krueger, Natalie (Frank) Hertzfeld, and his brothers, Nick and Eric. He is survived by his sisters, Karen (James) Martin of Martin, TN and Guyneth (Harry) Schaller and his brothers, Gary (Elizabeth), Peter, all in Toledo and Kurt (Sherri) of Pepperell, MA and his brothers-in-law, Tom Trese of Clarkston MI, Jack Schaefer of Cincinnati and William Krueger of Defiance. He will be sorely missed by his sixty-seven nieces and nephews. The family would like to thank all of the physicians, nurses and staff of the Toledo Hospital Pulmonary Cardiac ICU for the exceptional care they provided Father Jeff over the past few months. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the USO, PO Box 96860, Washington, DC 20077-7677, Disabled American Veterans, PO Box 14301, Cincinnati, OH 45250-0301, Our Lady of Perpetual Help 2255 Central Grove, Toledo, Ohio 43614, or Catholic Charities, 1933 Spielbusch Ave., Toledo, OH 43604-5360. Please view and sign the “on-line” guest register at: CoyleFuneralHome.com.Published in the Toledo Blade August 10 and 11, 2010.