Dr. Donald Lee Hand, 76, passed away March 16, 2025, at his home spending his last days surrounded byfamily and friends. Born June 4, 1948, to Dewey Lee Hand and Marie (Smith) Hand in Nashville GA. After graduating from Berrien High School he attended Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton GA where he met his wife, Wadeen. After their marriage in June 1968 he transferred to Georgia College in Milledgeville. While attending Georgia College he was accepted at the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta where he received a Degree of Dental Medicine in 1973 from the first graduating class of the new School of Dentistry program.

Donnie practiced dentistry in Eatonton, Waycross, and Nashville, GA retiring in 2005 after developing Parkinson's disease. He lived life to the fullest and never worried about tomorrow. He taught his boys to enjoy life and not to focus on worldly assets. He loved going to Keaton Beach fishing, hunting of any kind, and watching Georgia Football. He had a passion and talent for training bird dogs and participated in field trials for years winning several competitions. Donnie was also a very talented musician and played in many bands through the years. His greatest joy was spending time with his family.

He married the love of his life, Wadeen Wood Hand in 1968 and was married for approximately nine years before being divorced for nearly ten years. They remarried in 1986 and remained married for nearly 39 additional years. Donnie loved to joke with his friends that the divorce just didn't work out!

He was preceded in death by his father and mother, Dewey and Marie Hand. He is survived by his wife, Wadeen Hand and two sons: Wes Hand and Wade Hand (Beth); two grandsons Jackson Wade Hand and Sammy Lee Hand (Kendryck); granddaughter Maggie Rose Hand (fiancé Landen Woody). Donnie was very much looking forward to the arrival of his first great grandson in August. He is survived by a brother Bill Hand (Zoe) Crawfordville, FL and sister Barbara Hand Starling of Nashville, GA. sister in-law Darlene Wood Coley (Willard) and brother-in-law Mike Wood (Jackie Gardner Wood) all of Milledgeville, GA. He is also survived by two nephews, Ryan Hand from Gray, GA and Matthew (Tara) Starling of Nashville, GA.

Graveside funeral services will be held at Westview Cemetery in Nashville on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, at 2:00 pm. Visitation will be held one hour prior to service in the cemetery.

The family would like to thank, Dr. Donnie Nash, Department of Neuromedicine at Shands in Gainesville, FL and Berrien Nursing Center for their care. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to UF Health Neuromedicine-Fixel Institute, 3009 SW Williston Road, Gainesville, FL or charity of choice.

Lovein Funeral Home, Nashville.