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Family, friends remember G. Jerry Çasalinova
SHERRY KARABIN
Legal News Reporter
Published: February 18, 2016
Not many people love their jobs so much that they forego retirement and continue to work until their last days. But according to those closest to attorney G. Jerry Casalinova that’s exactly what he chose to do.
When Casalinova passed away on Jan. 24 at age 89 he had over 50 years of lawyering under his belt.
“Practicing law is what kept our father going,” said his son Mark. “When I was growing up he would always say he was going to the office to play. He would often bring one of his five children with him into the office on Saturday mornings so we could see how much he loved what he did.”
Mark said when his father had colon surgery last April, he returned to work as soon as he could.
“After his brain surgery in August, he went to Summa rehab where he showed us his courage and determination to regain his strength and life, the way he wanted to live it. He continued to advise clients from his rehab room against his doctor’s advice,” said Mark.
After completing rehabilitation, Casalinova moved into Mark’s home.
While he spent his last months surrounded by family and friends, he did not stop practicing law. His clients came to Mark’s house.
“On his way to hospice, he was advising a client and even the day before he passed away he signed papers for a client,” said Mark.
Born on April 24, 1926 in Searights, Pennsylvania, Casalinova dropped out of Uniontown High School to enlist in the United States Navy at age 17. He served 24 months in the Asian Pacific and six months in Japan during the initial occupation after the war ended.
When he returned to the United States, he got his GED. In 1946, Casalinova moved to Akron, where he worked at BFGoodrich while attending night school at The University of Akron, the institution where he earned his juris doctor. He passed the bar exam in 1954.
The next year, he married his wife Natalie. The couple had five children—Mary, Charles, Jerry and twins David and Mark.
“My parents met at a YMCA dance on a very snowy night,” said Mark. “My father coached all of his sons’ baseball games. He also attended all of our different sporting events.
“He always gave us all the best advice,” said Mark. “The biggest thing he did is that when my mom was sick for 16 years, he took care of her during that long period. Ironically my dad passed away almost 16 years to the day that she did.”
Casalinova’s long legal career started in the Akron City Prosecutor’s Office under former Mayor Leo Berg.
“I worked with Jerry in 1959 when both of us were part of the city law department,” said former Akron law director Max Rothal. “At the time, we were both assistant directors of law. Jerry transferred over from the prosecutor’s office to the civil side. I can remember when there was a criminal trial going on and one of the prosecutors would get sick that they would always ask Jerry to take the case.
“Jerry always agreed to help out,” said Rothal. “He was very cooperative and likeable and easy to work with. He kept a low profile but was very well respected. After he left the law department to go into private practice, I did not have much contact with him.”
Patrick J. Wack, a partner at Sansonetti & Wack Co., said he first met Casalinova in 1974 when he joined S&W, then located at the former Akron Savings & Loan building. At the time, the firm shared office space with Casalinova and several other attorneys. A short time afterwards, they all moved their offices to 41 Merz Blvd. in Fairlawn.
“Over the years, we’ve had a number of different attorneys share space with us including former Judge Robert Maxson, who is now deceased and S. Mark Glick,” said Wack.
“When I first met Jerry I had just graduated from The University of Akron School of Law and he mentored me as did Joe Sansonetti.”
He said Casalinova primarily handled estate planning, probate, corporate/business transactions and, earlier in his career, personal injury cases.
“He was an excellent attorney,” said Wack. “He was very meticulous and respectful to his clients. Up until the day he went in for his surgery last August, he was always the first one in the office and often the last person to leave. He even beat his assistant in. I don’t remember him missing a day other than for illness or if a family member was sick.”
Wack said details mattered a great deal to Casalinova.
“He would often send a draft back to his assistant numerous times for what many might consider minute changes.
“He really loved the law and helping people,” Wack said. “After his wife passed away, it was his whole life. He would often do pro bono work for those who could not afford it.”
He said one of the most amazing things about Casalinova was that even after his surgery his mind was “sharp and it remained that way until the end.
“He was a great family man,” said Wack. “He was very close to his children. His son Mark has his fire investigation business in the same building where we practice law.”
Attorney Thomas Kostoff said he was always impressed by how willing Casalinova was to help other attorneys.
“No matter what Jerry was doing, he would always stop and sit down with you and listen to your question,” said Kostoff, who met Casalinova in 1977. “He always took time to give you his opinion or advise you.
“Even though his focus was on business, probate and estate planning, Jerry always knew every aspect of the law,” said Kostoff. “There wasn’t any legal issue that he did not have some knowledge about. He did tax returns for longtime clients and he was very knowledgeable about criminal and governmental law.”
Kostoff said Casalinova was probably the “most disciplined man I ever met. He would always make the office coffee in the morning since he was the first one in and at the end of the day he would be home in time for dinner.
“He was the kind of lawyer that other lawyers would strive to pattern themselves after,” said Kostoff.
Casalinova was a member of the Ohio State, Akron and American bar associations along with the Ohio State Bar Association College. He was also a longtime member of St. Hilary Parish in Fairlawn. Before he became ill, Casalinova lived in Bath Township.
His son Mark said the day before his father passed away, “he shook the hands of all of his children and grandchildren and said a little something to each one.
“My son Mark Jr. was inspired by my dad’s service in the U.S. Navy. He just signed a contract to be a Navy Seal. It’s amazing how many people cared for my father. There must have been 500 people who came to his calling hours.”
Casalinova was laid to rest on Jan. 29 at Rose Hill Burial Park in Fairlawn.
Casalinova is survived by his five children, Mary Strandemo (Rob), Chuck (Cheryl), Jerry (Kimberly), Mark (Kaedra) and David (Tina); his grandchildren, Brian (Kari), Jason, Sarah, Jessica, BreAnna, Kyra, David Jr., Greydon, Mark Jr., Angela and Dominic; two great-grandchildren, Kailyn and Cole; siblings, Bill Caslin (Jill), Ronald (Karen), Frank (Rose-Marie), Joseph (Monica), Teresa Quarterella, Monica Montanaro (Joseph) and Francis DiRoberto; brother-in-law, John Kanche and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Natalie; parents, Mary and Tony; father-in-law, Charles Triola; his brother, Anthony; sisters, Chena, Liz and Barbara; in-laws, Mary, Ange, Lawrence (Mary) Triola, Donald Mills, Ralph Spano, and John DiRoberto.