John Henry Eldred Jr.

1947 - 2021

(News story) John Henry Eldred, Jr., a prominent media distributor and philanthropist, died Thursday in his Swanton home. He was 73.

His family did not disclose his cause of death.

Mr. Eldred was a premier distributor of digital content for libraries, said Jason Kucsma, the Toledo Lucas County Public Library's executive director and fiscal officer. His locally based companies serve eBooks, audiobooks, movies, music, comics, and television to public libraries throughout North America as well as in Australia and New Zealand.

He also gave "a significant amount of money" to needy libraries across the United States through Dorothy Louise Kyler Foundation, a charity he established several years ago, his wife of 22 years Margaret Eldred said. Additionally, he donated to the Salvation Army and the Cherry Street Mission.

Mr. Eldred was the founder and a co-owner of the Midwest Tape Co., which he established in 1989 in Toledo and which has since grown into an international media distribution company serving more than 8,000 libraries internationally.

For the past 10 years, he also co-owned Dreamscape Media LLC in Holland, a publishing and media distribution company that he and his 30-year business partner, Jeff Jankowski, established in 2011 to produce audiobooks and videos. The company also streams audio books, comics, eBooks, movies, music, and television to libraries and library patrons.

"He built companies from scratch, just on his relationship with people," Mr. Jankowski said. "He was a very outgoing, natural leader who was great at building and commanding respect and was never afraid to have difficult discussions."

Mr. Kucsma said Mr. Eldred was also a man of humility and that he was "amazed" by how people who worked for him "felt like part of the family."

Born July 26, 1947, in Galion, Ohio, to Dorothy and John Eldred, Mr. Eldred graduated in 1965 from Bedford (Mich.) High School. He later moved to southern California, where he studied at a community college for a couple of years and also married his first wife, Joyce Micochero. with whom he raised two sons before they divorced.

Before he entered media distribution, he owned and operated several video stores in greater Toledo from 1983 until 1997, when he sold them to the Blockbuster Video chain. Prior to that, Mr. Eldred at different times worked in sales in the shoes, toys, and wine industries.

"He always wanted to be his own boss," Mrs. Eldred said. "His love was in books and movies and just gaining knowledge. And he was lucky enough to be successful in that."

"He was faithful to people, kind and generous ... and would always give them a chance," Mrs. Eldred said. "And he had a knack to find the right person for a job."

In his free time, Mr. Eldred liked to be with friends and family. He also enjoyed his pet dogs, designing and building houses, playing pinochle, and taking beach walks and road trips. Mr. Eldred also was an avid world traveler, who enjoyed traveling offbeat tracks, be they in Europe, Asia, or Africa, his wife said.

He was preceded in death by his brother, Charles Eldred.

Along with his wives, he is survived by his sons, John and James Eldred; stepdaughter, Kate Blake; stepson, Karlis Krisjanis; and sister, Patricia Fleenor.

The Walker Funeral Home is handling arrangements. A celebration of life ceremony will be held June 12 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the main library in downtown Toledo.

The family suggests tributes to a library of the donor's choice.

This is a news story by Mike Sigov. Contact him at sigov@theblade.com or on Twitter @mikesigovblade.