John George Schenk

1926 - 2020

John George Schenk

Canandaigua - John George Schenk of Canandaigua, New York, passed away peacefully in the presence of family on April 12, 2020, Easter Sunday. He was the beloved husband of Suzanne (McKinley) Schenk and beloved father of John P. (Kimberly) Schenk, Leslee (Mark) Trzcinski and Thomas (Mari) Schenk; loving grandfather of Patrick Schenk, John T. Schenk, and Sophia Trzcinski. John was born October 8, 1926 in Cincinnati, Ohio to John A. and Elizabeth Schenk who both emigrated from Austria. He was a lifelong resident of Cincinnati, Ohio and upon retirement lived in Canandaigua.

John was a graduate of Western Hills High School in Cincinnati, The Ohio State University, College of Engineering, and Ohio Northern University, College of Law. John was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon at The Ohio State University and at the University of Cincinnati.

After practicing intellectual property law in Cleveland, Ohio, he returned to Cincinnati in 1958 to join the firm of Des Jardins, Robinson, Tritle & Schenk. In 1963, John and Warren Kinney founded the firm of Kinney & Schenk, specializing in patent and trademark law. John served a wide variety of clients during his 40-year career such as manufacturers of industrial equipment, pharmaceuticals, and children's toys. He obtained patents for many successful products like Aspercreme and gasoline dispensing nozzels, and one of his most memorable accomplishments was securing a patent for Play-Doh, the children's modeling compound.

In Cincinnati, John was a lifelong member of the University Club. He avidly attended live jazz performances, taking family and friends to the Blue Wisp Jazz Club and Dee Felice Café. For many years, he enjoyed downhill skiing at the Otsego Ski Club in northern Michigan. He was a former vestryman at Calvary Episcopal Church, and a person of quiet and deep faith. He helped to establish the Faith Christian Fellowship Church in Newtown, Ohio.

John enjoyed his retirement living on picturesque Canandaigua Lake where family and friends were welcomed for boating and relaxing in this beautiful, unique setting. There, he attended Crosswinds Church. An ardent Ohio State Buckeye, John often returned to Ohio in the fall to attend football games at his alma mater. His favorite pastime of all was spending time with his family.

A memorial service will be held in Canandaigua at a later date and time to be announced. Interment will be in Spring Grove Cemetery, Cincinnati. Memorial contributions may be made to Crosswinds Wesleyan Church, 3360 Middle Cheshire Rd., Canandaigua, NY 14424 or Lifetime Care Hospice of Rochester, 3111 S. Winton Rd., Rochester, NY 14623. Arrangements are by Johnson-Kennedy Funeral Home, Inc., Canandaigua. Condolences may be offered at www.johnsonkennedy.com.