Obituary: Lincoln Clark Doninger (Nininger), 62, of Woodbury

Lincoln Clark Doninger (Nininger) 2/26/1956 to 3/2/2019

Life-long Connecticut resident (Woodbury, Harwinton, Southbury), artisan, business owner.

Clark Doninger died on Saturday, March 2nd, after a 2 year battle with colon cancer. Clark was a unique person; a rare breed of objectivity, realism, and determination. As a child, Clark faced learning challenges that the education system was unprepared to address.

Despite this, his family supported and encouraged his strengths and love of the outdoors, sending him on his way to an Outward Bound adventure program at 15, where he learned discipline and teamwork.

He had been prepared for the extreme Outward Bound challenges by many previous summer camping and canoe trips with his cousins and winter ski trips at Edgehill, a family home in New Hampshire. Before his senior year, he left high school to apprentice in a woodworking shop in Woodbury.

Ever the adventurer, before establishing what would be a successful fine furniture business, Clark set off by himself to participate in Bikecentennial, a bicycle ride across the United States in 1976, for which the stories of adventure are countless.

Clark was the owner-operator of Nininger & Co. Ltd. in Waterbury, CT. Although he was fortunate to have many wonderful mentors, much of his craft was self-taught. A true artist and engineer, Clark made fine furniture without rival in its craftsmanship, beauty, and attention to detail. Blending antique items with new components of furniture, Clark grew his business and
employed many people over the decades.

When Clark invested himself in a project, he did so whole-heartedly and with the same meticulous attention to detail that he brought to his furniture-making. From serving as President of the Connecticut Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation to reviving the youth sailing program at the Middlebury Swim Club, to hand-made luge runs that could have met Olympic standards - Clark did nothing in half measures.

A lifetime member of the Middlebury Swim Club, Clark loved swimming, sailing, ice hockey,
pool, biking, camping, and a well-cooked s’more. Clark’s greatest joys were his craft, making
people laugh, and his family, for whom he enjoyed cooking elaborate holiday meals.

He leaves behind his children, Everett Taylor (Crystal Taylor), Avery Doninger (Steve Vitti) and Griffin Doninger (Hayley Doninger). He is survived by four loving siblings, Susan Nininger, Charlie Rockinger (Sara Rockinger), John Nininger (Caroline Nininger), and Kate Dockins (Robert
Dockins), and his nieces and nephews, Ida Nininger, Nancy Nininger, Sam Rockinger, Aaron
Abudu Nininger, and Nick Dockins.

Clark’s quirky wit and outlook on life will be greatly missed. Clark did what he loved, believed in
himself, and was master of his fate to the very end.

A service of remembrance will be held in Connecticut this September when his whole family can
be together. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to his son’s Pan-Mass
Challenge fundraiser benefiting cancer research and treatment at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute:
http://profile.pmc.org/GD0111 or the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation -
https://www.cff.org/Connecticu...