Delores "Joan" Badertscher

D. Joan Badertscher

After a courageous year and a half battle with cancer, D. Joan Badertscher passed away peacefully on the morning of Saturday, February 20, 2021, with her loving family at her bedside. She was 83.

Joan grew up near Trail, Ohio, and was a graduate of Walnut Creek High School in Holmes County. She was also a graduate of Bluffton College, where she met her future husband Daryl Badertscher in 1955 while on a double date. They were married on June 9, 1957, and celebrated their 63rd wedding anniversary this past year. Joan began her career teaching elementary education in the Lima City School System. The family moved to Sugarcreek, Ohio in 1961 where she worked as a clerk for Sugarcreek Livestock Auction and was a consultant for Viviane Woodard Cosmetics. The family moved to Dover, Ohio in 1965 where she focused on being a homemaker and raising two sons, until she got the itch to rejoin the work world upon the kids graduating from high school, at which time she began working for Fluorocarbon/Sparta Manufacturing in Columbia, Ohio.

She also ran the food Concession for Trumpet in the Land outdoor amphitheater, prior to co-founding the Dover Station Restaurant with her husband Daryl in 1982, an extremely popular restaurant they ran successfully for 20 years before retiring and selling the business in 2002. She was a legendary cook and gracious hostess who loved providing an abundance of food for large gatherings (typically enough to feed a small army) of family and friends. Every dish she made was delicious, however the list of family favorites always included chicken & noodles, cooked apples, cherry “glop” and graham cracker pudding.

Joan was a huge fan of the Cleveland Cavaliers (especially her favorite player Kevin Love), Cleveland Indians, Cleveland Browns, Ohio State Buckeyes, and of course, her Dover Tornadoes. She was very active in supporting “her kids” activities over the years, serving as president of the Dover Band Boosters and as a member of Dover Mother’s Club.
Her hobbies included reading, watching cooking shows on TV, and crocheting, having created many beautiful afghans, baby blankets and prayer shawls for family members and friends over the years.

Joan was an active member of Tabor Ridge Community Church. She taught us, by example, to be kind, loving, giving and to serve others.

She was preceded in death by her father Moses J. Hostetler, mother Ethel (Engel) Hostetler, stepmother Crystal Mae Hostetler, brother John L. Hostetler, and sister June (Harold) Butler.
Surviving are her children, Steve (Kim) Badertscher, Marion, Ohio, and Mike (Patty) Badertscher, Marion, Ohio; her grandchildren, T.J. (Ashley) Badertscher, Marion, Ohio, Ryan Badertscher Oahu Hawaii, and Amanda (Kyle) Smithey, Delaware, Ohio, Tiffany (Kevin) Rostorfer, Marion, Ohio, Zach (Amanda) Badertscher, Lexington, Ohio, Wes Badertscher, Marion, Ohio, and De Clarke, Marion, Ohio; her great-grandchildren Gavin Rostorfer, Madeline Badertscher, Crosby Badertscher, and Liam Smithey; her sister-in-law, Marilyn Hostetler of Canton, Ohio; and sister-in-law, Coletta Mullenhour of Bluffton, Ohio; plus many cherished nieces and nephews.

The family wishes to thank Aultman Cancer Unit staff and Aultman Hospice Care, Tiffany Rostorfer, RN for her loving care in the final days, and Pastor John Dunn and the Tabor Ridge Community Church family for all of their prayers, love, and support.

A “Celebration of Life” will take place at the Toland-Herzig Funeral Home & Crematory in Dover on October 9, 2021, at 2:30 pm with Pastor John Dunn officiating. Friends are invited to call on Saturday from 1:00 pm until the service starts at 2:30. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Tabor Ridge Community Church or the American Cancer Society. The Toland-Herzig Funeral Homes & Crematory in Dover is handling the arrangements.