Troian Dendiu, former Ohio St. end, dies at 85

Staff report

Troian “Tee” Dendiu, one of two 17-year-old Campbell Memorial High graduates who helped the Ohio State football team finish unbeaten in 1944, died this week in Urbana, after a bout with pneumonia. He was 85.

Dendiu, who played for John Knapick at Campbell from 1941-43, made the all-Mahoning County team as a senior and was recruited by Buckeyes coach Paul Brown along with fellow Red Devil Gene Janecko.

An 182-pound, two-way end, Dendiu started the final five games for Ohio State, which finished 9-0 and was ranked No. 2 in the Associated Press poll behind an Army team that had Glenn Davis and Doc Blanchard.

One of the Buckeyes’ wins was against the Great Lakes Blue Jackets, a team of Naval recruits led by Brown, who coached at OSU from 1941-43.

The squad was led by quarterback Les Horvath, who made All-American and became OSU’s first Heisman Award winner, and other All-Americans Bill Willis, Bill Hackett and Jack Dugger.

Dendiu went into the Navy in 1945, then returned to Ohio State and lettered as an end in 1946 and 1947.

Dendiu spent most of his life working in with the steel brokerage business in Columbus before living his final years in Urbana, Janecko said.

“He was well-liked by everybody,” said Janecko, a 156-pound halfback. They teamed with mostly other freshmen and some upperclassmen who were deferred by the military. “He was a straight guy.”

Dendiu left his wife, Suzie, his sons Bill, Tom, and Troy, and eight grandchildren.

There were no memorial services. Condolences may be expressed to family at www.vernonfh.com.