John Deaver Drinko

- 2008

• Born	St. Mary's, West Virginia
  Gender	Male
  Died	30 Jan 2008	Palm Springs, Riverside Co., California
  Person ID	I12050	Johnson Hindin Tree
  Last Modified	21 Apr 2013

  
  

  Family	Elizabeth Gibson,   d. 22 Aug 2010
  Married	14 May 1946
  Children	1. John Randall Drinko   2. J. Deaver Drinko,   b. 3 Jul 1956, Cleveland, Cuyahoga Co., Ohio ,   d. 7 Apr 2010, Coshocton, Ohio   3. Diana Lynn Drinko   4. Elizabeth Lee Drinko
  Family ID	F5128	Group Sheet

  
  

• Notes

  The following obituary appeared in The Plain Dealer (Cleavland, Ohio) on January 31, 2008: John Deaver Drinko dies; guided growth of Baker Hostetler law firm He referred to himself as a poor boy from the hills of West Virginia, who as a youth during the Depression wrestled bears and sold women's hosiery door to door to earn money to support his mother and sister. But most people knew John Deaver Drinko either as the brilliant lawyer who guided the growth of the Cleveland law firm Baker Hostetler for 16 years or as the man whose support helped build college, law school and medical facilities throughout the region. Drinko, 86, died Wednesday night in a hospital in Palm Springs, Calif., where he and his wife, Elizabeth, spent winter months. A cause of death was not immediately reported, although a family spokeswoman said Drinko had been suffering from pneumonia. From spring through fall, Drinko could be found at his downtown law office on the 33rd floor of the National City Center building. He often worked five days a week, dividing his time between his law practice and extensive charitable work. He gave away millions of dollars of his own money to various institutions, particularly higher education. Because of his philanthropy, Drinko's name appears on several college buildings, among them a $29 million library at Marshall College, now known as Marshall University, in Huntington, W.Va., where he received his bachelor's degree in 1942; the Ohio State University Michael E. Moritz College of Law, where he received his law degree in 1944; and a recital hall at Cleveland State University. He funded other educational endeavors, endowing a total of 15 faculty chairs at various schools. Two were at Ohio State, with others at Case Western Reserve University School of Law, Case Western's nursing program, John Carroll University, Cleveland State University Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, Capital University Law School and the Dwyer Learning Center at Notre Dame College of Ohio, which in May 1997 awarded him an honorary degree -- his 10th. Among the institutions benefiting from his generosity were Baldwin-Wallace, Capital, Hiram, Lake Erie, Mount Union and Ohio University. He also spent years in education-related board work. He was a trustee of the Ohio State University Foundation, the Marshall University Foundation and the Sage Cleveland Foundation. He credited education for his success Drinko said that education helped him escape a hard-scrabble beginning and that without it, "I would still be back shooting squirrels in West Virginia. "I was a poor boy, and someone had to build those dang places before I got there, so I always wanted to pay that back," he said. "Education opens the world," he said. "It helps to improve you as a person. That's why reading is a great thing. Education became a great economic force in our society. The economic impact of all the Cleveland colleges is tremendous." Drinko's board work extended beyond education. He was a trustee and president of the Mellen Foundation, created by former Cleveland investment banker Edward J. Mellen, who amassed a fortune by buying, selling and financing about 20 small industrial companies. He was a trustee of the Hostetler Foundation, created by Joseph C. Hostetler, who together with Newton D. Baker, founded Baker & Hostetler. He also was a trustee of the Baker Hostetler Founders' Trust, the firm's charitable arm. He was board chairman of the Cleveland Institute of Electronics Inc. and of Double D Ranch Inc., which he established in 1971 in Coshocton County. It started as a hobby farm and grew into a 1,700-acre crop-and-cattle enterprise. Drinko also was a past director of Cloyes Gear and Products Inc. and the Standard Products Co. and was still on the boards of the Orvis Co. and Preformed Line Products Co. when he died. He inspired those around him Drinko's vast intellect -- his IQ in college was 185 -- inspired awe among the firm's young lawyers and others who dealt with him. The high school he attended in St. Marys, W.Va., hired a professor from Marietta College to tutor him in Greek and Latin after he completed all of his required high school courses. Remembering information came so easily to him, he said, that even in law school he never took notes, instantly recalling anything he had read or heard. Even while running Baker & Hostetler, he rarely took notes. And though law school was tough, he completed it while working full-time as a rate scheduler for a trucking company. "Intellect alone will not get you anywhere," he said. "Hard work is what leads to a good living." During his career, he said he routinely worked seven days a week, often late into the evening. He had moved to Cleveland in 1945, accepting Joe Hostetler's offer of $125 a month -- a sum he would later earn in less than 30 minutes -- becoming the 23rd lawyer hired by the firm. He quickly rose through the ranks, serving as the law firm's managing partner from 1969 to 1975 and from 1978 to 1985. During his leadership, the firm expanded from one office with about 70 attorneys to five offices with over 200 attorneys. Baker Hostetler now has operations in 10 cities and more than 600 attorneys. Drinko practiced corporate and business law and as senior adviser to the firm's policy committee continued to provide counsel to a number of major clients. "John really had the vision to see the firm as not just a local Cleveland firm but a firm that could become national," said R. Steven Kestner, Baker Hostetler's executive partner. Kestner said he lunched monthly with Drinko and found him always willing to listen and help in any way he could. "He was a mentor to all of us," Kestner said. Memorial service planned In addition to his wife of 61 years, Drinko is survived by sons John Randall, president of the family-owned Cleveland Institute of Electronics, and J. "Deaver," who operates the family's Double D. Ranch; two daughters, Dr. Diana Lynn Drinko, a pediatrician in Farmington, N.M., and Elizabeth Lee Sullivan, a museum docent in Tucson, Ariz; 11 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Kestner said a memorial service for Drinko probably will be held in Cleveland, but plans were not finalized. The family said that contributions in Drinko's memory could be made to Marshall University Foundation Inc., 1 John Marshall Drive, Huntington, WV 25755, or The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, 220 Drinko Hall, 55 West Twelfth Avenue, Columbus 43210. ************ The following press release was issued by the law firm of Baker Hostetler on February 1, 2008: Firm Mourns Passing of Former Executive Partner John D. Drinko Guided Growth of Baker Hostetler from 1969-1985 CLEVELAND, OH – February 1, 2008 – John D. Drinko, who guided Baker Hostetler as its Executive Partner from 1969-1985, and who transformed it with his vision from a Cleveland law firm with 69 lawyers to a national law firm with multiple offices and over 200 lawyers during his tenure, died January 30 in Palm Springs, California. He was 86. Mr. Drinko was a corporate lawyer whose legal knowledge, business acumen and vision were the keys to a long and successful career. He counseled many clients, as both attorney and business advisor, through periods of substantial growth and success. Included among his major clients were The Orvis Company, The Standard Products Company, Preformed Line Products Company, and McGean-Rohco, Inc. Mr. Drinko served as a director on their boards, and the boards of several other corporations. He was also a trustee of six foundations, including The Ohio State University Foundation and the Marshall University Foundation. Even in his 80's, Mr. Drinko remained active at the firm. "John and I would have lunch together once a month when he was in town. We would talk about firm issues, business issues, client issues—and John always had a helpful insight or comment," said Steven Kestner, current Executive Partner of the firm. In addition to leading Baker Hostetler into the era of the national law firm, Mr. Drinko was also instrumental in breaking down barriers to opportunity that historically had existed at large corporate law firms. Under his leadership, Baker Hostetler hired the first Jewish partner and the first African American partner at a major Cleveland law firm. Mr. Drinko compiled an enviable record of civic commitment. He and foundations that he funded or controlled endowed 15 faculty chairs at various colleges and universities, including one at Marshall University, from which he graduated in 1942, and two at the Ohio State Law School, from which he graduated in 1944. He also was awarded ten honorary degrees from various colleges and universities. The law school classroom building at Ohio State is named in honor of him, as is the library at Marshall University. Mr. Drinko was also a major contributor to the Cleveland Museum of Art, the United Way, the Cleveland Orchestra, and the Cleveland Institute of Music. Drinko Recital Hall at Cleveland State University was named in his honor in recognition of his support of the musical arts. For all his professional success, Mr. Drinko never forgot his roots, and the difficult time he had growing up in depression-era West Virginia. His efforts to encourage and fund education were the outgrowth of his life-long commitment to helping others with ambition to have an opportunity to succeed. Mr. Drinko is survived by his wife, Elizabeth, to whom he was married for over 60 years; four children, John Randall, president of the family-owned Cleveland Institute of Electronics, J. Deaver, who operates the family's Double D Ranch in Coshocton, Ohio, Diana Lynn Drinko, a pediatrician in Farmington, N.M., and Mrs. Elizabeth Lee Sullivan, a museum docent in Tucson, Ariz.; eleven grandchildren; and two great grandchildren. Mr. Drinko was a member of the American, Ohio and Cleveland Bar Associations, The Union Club, The Mayfield Country Club, and a long-standing member of Heights Presbyterian Church. He was also very proud of his service as a 33rd Degree Scottish Rite Mason. Mr. Drinko was a long-time resident of Lyndhurst, Ohio, but typically spent the winter in Palm Springs, California. Funeral services will be private. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 29, 2008, at 2:00 p.m. at The Church of the Covenant located on the campus of Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. The family suggest contributions for those who wish to the Marshall University Foundation, Inc., 1 John Marshall Dr., Huntington, W. Va. 25755, or The Ohio State University Michael E. Moritz College of Law, 220 Drinko Hall, 55 West Twelfth Ave., Columbus, Ohio 43210. *** The following obituary appeared in the Herald-Dispatch (Huntington, West Virginia) on February 1, 2008: John Drinko, great Marshall University patron, dead at 86 February 01, 2008 @ 03:36 PM Herald-Dispatch.com HUNTINGTON — John D. Drinko, one of Marshall University's greatest benefactors and most well-known graduates, died Jan. 30 in Palm Springs, Calif., according to a press release from the Baker Hostetler law firm. He was 86. The Marshall library is named for Drinko. "The hearts of the entire Marshall University community are filled with sadness as we mourn the passing of Dr. John Deaver Drinko," said Marshall University President Stephen J. Kopp in a statement released by the university. "He was a man of extraordinary intellect, generosity and distinction. A fascinating story-teller, his humble beginnings in rural West Virginia amid impoverished circumstances taught him lessons that forever shaped and inspired his life and career. Dr. Drinko was truly a giant among men renowned for his brilliance, principle and resolve. His life accomplishments rank him among the greatest alumni of Marshall University. “Dr. Drinko and his lovely wife, Libby (Elizabeth Gibson Drinko), shared a love of Marshall University. They also shared a mutual belief in the power of higher education to change lives and reveal unseen futures for young people. Their generosity involving virtually all areas of the University have touched countless lives and provided untold opportunities for many members of the Marshall University family. Dr. John Deaver Drinko will be forever remembered as a ‘Son of Marshall.’� Drinko and his wife, Elizabeth Gibson Drinko, were among the leading supporters of Marshall University. "His presence is felt all over the institution," Alan Gould, the executive director of the Drinko Academy for American Political Institutions and Civic Culture at Marshall, said in 2005. "If John is going to be around it, it's going to be good." Drinko, a native of St. Marys, W.Va., was forced by the Great Depression to start working at a young age. According to "John Deaver Drinko: A Man of Many Parts," Drinko supplied the main source of income for his family when he was nine years old. By the time he was 12, he was driving trucks, mining coal, and had even wrestled bears at fairs. "The most wonderful part of your life is when you don't have a thing," Drinko said in the book. "What do you have to lose?" Drinko not only worked to support his family, but was also mainly self-educated. He taught himself how to speed-read and learned both Latin and Greek. This education would carry him through years of higher education, and laid the foundation for much of his charity work. However, it was not his grades, but his athletic ability that landed him on scholarship at Marshall College, playing football and basketball for Cam Henderson. While active in sports, he remained supportive of his family, working at a local grocery store and sending the money back to his mother. He graduated with highest honors from Marshall in 1942, and earned scholarships to Harvard and Duke, but turned them down, instead choosing a school closer to home, as he still supported his family. He enrolled in The Ohio State University College of Law, which has since been named in his honor. After some postgraduate work at the University of Texas School of Law, Drinko moved to Cleveland, Ohio, and was hired by Baker, Hostetler and Patterson, one of the first lawyers in the firm to have a law degree from a public institution. He earned $125 a month. "Intellect alone will not get you anywhere," Drinko is quoted as saying in "John Deaver Drinko: A Man of Many Parts." "Hard work is what leads to a good living." The law firm began to grow, and at the firm's 75th anniversary in 1991, Drinko was called the driving force behind the firm's growth, which had become one of the largest firms in the nation. Drinko was what many people called "a people person." According to Gould, Drinko typically walks up to a complete stranger, extends his hand and says, "Hi, I'm John Drinko. Who are you and what do you do?" His personality is greatly remembered, but more importantly, he remembered those he met. After the 1970 plane crash, Drinko chartered a plane, flew to Huntington, and raised more than $450,000 in contributions. Upon returning to Cleveland, he wrote a personal check for an undisclosed amount, and many people believe he is behind several anonymous contributions the school received in the months following the crash. One of the most significant contributions was in 1985, when the Drinkos established the university's first $1 million chair in the College of Liberal Arts. That donation grew into one of Marshall's most significant academic programs, The Drinko Academy for American Political Institution and Civic Culture, which was established in 1994. As part of the Drinko Academy, there is an annual Drinko Symposium, which provides an opportunity for Drinko Fellows, members of Marshall's faculty who are selected to perform specific research, to present the results of their research to Marshall faculty and students. Also a part of the symposium is The Elizabeth Gibson Drinko Honors Convocation. Drinko was a trustee of six foundations, including The Ohio State University Foundation and the Marshall University Foundation. In addition to his university support, Drinko was a nationally known lawyer who helped the firm Baker Hostetler rise to prominence. Under his leadership, Baker Hostetler hired the first Jewish partner and the first African American partner at a major Cleveland law firm, according to a release from the firm. Drinko is survived by his wife, Elizabeth, to whom he was married for over 60 years; four children, John Randall, president of the family-owned Cleveland Institute of Electronics, J. Deaver, who operates the family's Double D Ranch in Coshocton, Diana Lynn Drinko, a pediatrician in Farmington, N. M., and Mrs. Elizabeth Lee Sullivan, a museum docent in Tucson, Az.; eleven grandchildren; and two great grandchildren. Funeral services will be private. There will be a memorial service in Cleveland later in the year. The family suggest contributions for those who wish to the Marshall University Foundation, Inc., 1 John Marshall Dr., Huntington, WV 25755, or The Ohio State University Michael E. Moritz College of Law, 220 Drinko Hall, 55 West Twelfth Ave., Columbus, OH 43210.