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Relatives, friends remember Hanni during funeral Mass
The former Democratic chairman was ‘tough’ and ‘gentle.’
YOUNGSTOWN — Those who paid tribute to Don L. Hanni Jr. at his funeral Mass remembered him with joy and laughter — how the former political party boss and prominent defense attorney would have wanted, they said.
“Shed no tears for Don,” said former state Senate President Harry Meshel, a longtime friend of Hanni’s.
Describing Hanni’s 16 years as Mahoning County Democratic Party chairman, Meshel said Hanni was “just a little dictatorial, but he kept the political train rolling.”
Hanni, 82, died Wednesday at his Coitsville home.
A funeral Mass was held Monday for Hanni at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Youngstown.
“He was a friend, he was a foe,” said R. Scott Krichbaum, a Mahoning County Common Pleas Court judge and former defense lawyer. “He was kind, he was mean. He was tough, he was gentle. He was a genuine true friend to all of us.”
The judge told a number of entertaining stories about Hanni. Each drew laughter from the crowd of a few hundred people at the funeral Mass.
During a trial, Hanni was offered a glass of water, Judge Krichbaum said. Hanni asked what it was.
When told it was water, “He said, ‘I never drink that stuff straight,’” the judge said.
U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Cleveland, D-10th, also spoke at Monday’s Mass about Hanni. Kucinich said he knew Hanni for 30 years, calling the former chairman “brilliant, funny, passionate.”
Kucinich said he wanted to share some stories about Hanni, but they “wouldn’t be appropriate in church.”
Hanni’s colorful language was one of his well-known traits.
So was his fighting spirit.
Hanni had his last rites read a number of different times in the past few months before his death last week, said Meshel and Mark A. Hanni, one of the former chairman’s sons.
skolnick@vindy.com