GEORGE VICTOR VOINOVICH | Through the years

July 15, 1936: Born in Cleveland, oldest of six children

1958: Earned bachelor’s degree, Ohio University

1961: Earned law degree, Ohio State University

Sept. 8, 1962: Married Janet Kay Allen of Lakewood; they would have four children

1966: Won first of three terms in the Ohio House

1971: Appointed Cuyahoga County auditor, a year later winning the seat and serving until 1976

1977: Elected Cuyahoga County commissioner

1979: Elected lieutenant governor on the ticket with Gov. James A. Rhodes

Oct. 8, 1979: Daughter Molly, 9, hit by van and killed

1979: Defeated Cleveland Mayor Dennis J. Kucinich, ; Voinovich was re-elected in 1981 and 1985

1988: Soundly defeated by incumbent Democrat Howard M. Metzenbaum in race for U.S. Senate

1991: Became Ohio’s 65th governor after defeating Democrat Anthony J. Celebrezze Jr.

April 11, 1993: Tested by 11-day inmate takeover of the maximum-security prison in Lucasville, which results in the deaths of one guard and 10 inmates

1995: Won second term as governor after defeating Democrat Robert Burch with 72percent of the vote, a 20th-century record in Ohio

1999: Joined the U.S. Senate after easily defeating Democrat Mary O. Boyle

2005: Began a second Senate term after easily defeating Democrat Eric D. Fingerhut

Jan. 12, 2009: Announced he will retire from the Senate at the end of 2010.

Source: Columbus Dispatch