Hanni will lie in state in rotunda

A public viewing at the courthouse has never been done before, a funeral

director said.

By JOHN W. GOODWIN

VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER

YOUNGSTOWN — Mahoning Valley residents, and more than a few outsiders, will say goodbye to a memorable political leader in a way not seen before here.

Atty. Don Hanni Jr., 82, nicknamed “the Bull Moose,” will lie in state from 3 to 8 p.m. Sunday in the Mahoning County Courthouse. There will be a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. Monday in Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Youngstown with the Rev. Msgr. Michael J. Cariglio officiating.

“This has never happened before in all of Mahoning County,” said Chelsey Santucci, owner of Rossi & Santucci Funeral Home, about Hanni’s viewing in the courthouse. “This has never been done for anyone else — ever.”

Santucci said the arrangements work out well because there will be people coming from all over the country to pay respects to the Hanni family.

The courthouse viewing, however, held a deeper meaning for Hanni.

“This was Don Hanni’s, the Bull Moose’s, request that this be done if at all possible,” he said. “That is where he spent most of his time, in that courthouse.”

Santucci does not know how the courthouse viewing was approved — that, he said, was handled by Hanni’s son, Mark.

All three county commissioners, however, did sign off on the use of the courthouse, Santucci said.

Commissioner John McNally said Commissioner David Ludt spearheaded the effort to allow the courthouse viewing. “Commissioner Ludt spoke with me this morning and asked if I had any objections to this, and I did not. All three commissioners did not have any objections to this taking place,” he said.

McNally said the Hanni family will cover all expenses associated with the courthouse’s being opened on a Sunday.

Judge R. Scott Krichbaum, administrative judge of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court, said Hanni’s family some time ago requested Hanni lie in state in the courthouse rotunda. Judge Krichbaum said the judges did not object to the use of the courthouse because it would not interfere with court business.

Hanni was born Aug. 25, 1925, on the East Side of Youngstown and was a lifelong area resident. He was a graduate of East High. School, received his Bachelor’s degree of social studies and history and his law degree was from Youngstown College.

Hanni had a prestigious career in law as a defense trial lawyer, serving as a municipal judge and as an assistant city prosecutor. He was one of very few local lawyers to be listed in the prestigious International Book of Defense Lawyers.

Hanni was also very active in local politics and was the former chairman of Mahoning County Democratic Party, a member of the Mahoning County Bar Association, and founded the Riverboat Captain’s Club. He was a member of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Youngstown.