John HERMANIES

1922 - 2013

HERMANIES

John H. Passed away peacefully Saturday, March 16, 2013 at his home in Cincinnati at the age of 90. John could be characterized with a wide variety of adjectives, however, the three that come to mind for those who knew him are knowledgeable, generous, and adventurous - these are evidenced by his choice of professions (law), his incredible knowledge of history, his unwavering philanthropy, and his zeal for world travel. He grew up in Mariemont and graduated from Terrace Park High School - where he was named Alumni of the Year in 2000. He earned his bachelor degree from Penn State University (1944), served in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II in Okinawa, and returned, after being honorably discharged, to earn his J.D. from the University of Cincinnati (1948). For the next 50 years, John held many government/political positions in the State of Ohio, including Assistant Attorney General (1951-57), Assistant to Governor Rhodes (1957-1959), and Chairman of the Hamilton County Republican Party (1974-1988); he practiced law (Partner, Beall, Hermanies, Bortz & Major) in Cincinnati from 1958 until he retired in 1999. John has received many honors over his career, including Honorary Doctor of Law Degree from U.C. in 1992, serving as a member of U.C.'s Board of Trustees for 15 years (remaining as a Trustee Emeritus until his death), recognition for membership in the George Smith Society and, most recently, he was to be honored on March 27th by the Ohio State Bar Association for successfully completing 65 years of practice in the law profession. John and his late wife, Dorothy, shared two passions: giving back to the community through their very generous donations to such organizations as the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Art Museum, Friends of the Library, U.C. Athletic Department, U.C. Foundation, Hamilton County SPCA, and many, many others. The principal trombone chair with the CSO (which they endowed) and the press box at U.C.'s Nippert Stadium are named for them and their generosity. The second passion was world travel - they traveled to such faraway places as Eastern Europe, Thailand, South Africa, Israel, Russia, Sumatra, Cambodia, and even Antarctica. John continued his travels until his first stroke in 2005. No pre-planned tours for him - his favorite way to see the sights was to rent a car, mingle with the "locals" and create his own tour. John's devotion to U.C. Bearcat sports was legendary - for many decades, he never missed a home basketball or football game and he traveled to many of their away games as well. Good season or bad, the Bearcats could not find a more loyal fan. As well, he was a loyal Cincinnati Reds fan, attending nearly all home games for many years. John is survived by his beloved dachshund, Teufel, now 16 years old, a team of loving private caregivers, led by Lisa Lewis, R.N., many long-time close friends and colleagues, and his niece, Barbara Hardin of Cincinnati. He was preceded in death by his wife Dorothy (nee Steinbrecher) in 1999 and his sister, Gretchen Hardin in 1985. Private graveside services were held on Thursday, March 21, 2013 at Spring Grove Cemetery, with the Gwen Mooney Funeral Home serving the family. In lieu of flowers, donations may be directed to a charity of your choice or to one of John's favorite organizations: University of Cincinnati Foundation/P.O. Box 19970/Cincinnati, OH 45219-0970; Hamilton County SPCA/3949 Colerain Ave./Cincinnati, OH 45223; ArtsWave (formerly Fine Arts Fund)/20 East Central Pkwy./Suite 200/Cincinnati, OH 45202

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