Deputy Mahoning Coroner Joseph Ohr dies at 53

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Mahoning County’s forensic pathologist and deputy coroner died this morning from pancreatic cancer, according to Mahoning County Commissioner David Ditzler.

Ditzler said he received a call from the wife of Dr. Joseph Ohr, who performed autopsies in Mahoning County, died with his family at his bedside in home hospice care at 8:50 a.m.

Coroner Dr. David Kennedy said Dr. Ohr, 53, had been ill for several weeks, with his duties taken on by Cuyahoga County authorities since last week.

“His passion and his dedication and his heart that he had for his job and for the community just spilled over to everyone and I think if you knew Dr. Ohr, you loved Dr. Ohr,” Ditzler said.

Dr. Ohr is a Boardman native and began working for the county in 2009. He came to Mahoning County from Franklin County, where he was a forensic pathologist.

Besides autopsies, Dr. Ohr’s duties included testifying in court, preparing reports and ruling on the causes and manner of a person’s death.