Page 29 - May June 2022 CBA Report

MEMORIALS
Memorials honor the lives of deceased members of the local Bar. For more information, contact Leyla Shokoohe at (513) 699-1391 or lshokoohe@cincybar.org.
Megan Clark Johnson
1969 – 2022
Megan Clark Johnson died March 7, 2022, of late-stage cancer at age 52. An accomplished employment attorney, Megan was quick-witted, hard-working, fearless and dignified.
A native Cincinnatian and the youngest of three girls, Megan grew up in Anderson Township and attended Ursuline Academy. After high school, she battled the winters in Worcester, MA and graduated from College of the Holy Cross, double majoring in English and French. After Holy Cross she spent one year in the Jesuit Volunteer Corps in Kansas City, where she helped lower-income people with their legal difficulties and developed life-long friendships with her fellow JVC members. This experience prompted her to under- take law school. She earned her law degree at Indiana University Purdue University of Indianapolis, where she was editor in chief of the law review. Her first job out of law school was as clerk at the United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana,
where she served two years.
Upon returning to Cincinnati, she undertook employment and
business law at Thompson Hine, where she applied her legendary work ethic in representing employers of all sizes. Eventually she decided she would prefer sitting on the other side of the table. She joined the plaintiff’s employment firm, Freking Myers and Reul, working first as an associate and then as a partner. Megan was an outstanding advocate for her clients, fighting to make sure they were treated fairly in the workplace. Her colleagues admired her legal acumen, but more important, her heart and her wit.
Megan was active in the Cincinnati Bar Association. She participated in the CALL program (Cincinnati Academy of Lead- ership for Lawyers) and served on the CALL Steering Committee.
At age 40, Megan married Brock Johnson, and her legal career became less interesting to her. She and Brock adopted two young boys, Robbie and Patrick. As much as Megan enjoyed jousting in employment cases, she enjoyed marriage and motherhood even more. She poured herself into making a good life for Brock and their sons.
In addition to her husband and young sons, Megan is survived by her parents, Ray and Marylyn Clark, sisters Kathy Miller and Moira Bonn, and many extended family.
Megan was an ideal colleague and a loyal friend. Throughout her illness, she displayed courage, tough-mindedness, gratitude, and humility — all qualities that serve lawyers well.
— Contributed by David W. Burleigh and Kelly Mulloy Myers
Raymond Collins Pater III
1960 – 2022
Raymond Collins Pater III passed away December 19, 2021, in his home with his 22-year domestic partner, Scott E. Knox, from cardiac arrest. Ray was 61 and was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. He is
also survived by his siblings Ann Rooney (Reid), Patricia Buchro- eder (Eric), Mary J. Pater (Billy Nally) , Kathleen M. Pater, Michelle M. Frank (Tom), Christina K. Pater (David K. Pierson), John G. Pater (Nancy), Stephen J. Pater (Tina Davlin), Michael W. C. Pater (Michele Pembaur Pater), and Kevin D. Pater, and many deeply loved nieces, nephews, cousins, and other relatives. He was born to Raymend C. Pater, Jr. and Ann Hobson Pater. After his mother’s death when he was six years old, Judy (Kipp) Pater took on the role of mother when she married Ray’s father, giving Ray abundant love and eight additional brothers and sisters. She adopted him in 2016.
Ray was graduated from St. Xavier High School, earned a B.A. degree from Miami University, an M.B.A. from Xavier University, and a Juris Doctor from the University of Dayton.
Ray swam for Kenwood Swim Club and Kenwood Country Club, including swimming under Hall of Fame Coach Skip Kenny at the Marlins. He was a four-year swimming state championship team member at St. Xavier High School 1975-78 and a collegiate swimmer for Miami University in 1982. He co-coached the 1984 St. Xavier State Championship Swim Team. Ray was the best cheer- leader in the world for his younger siblings, encouraging them to believe in themselves. He had perfect recall of all their races and went to more swim meets than any non-coach to cheer them on. He was also always taking them to restaurants, movies, and on trips.
He and his partner Scott enjoyed travelling to many other countries. He had a passion for seeing how others lived and visiting cultures very different from his own. He also enjoyed everything from relaxing on a beautiful beach to bungee jumping in New Zealand and zip-lining in Kauai. One of his favorite trips was to Torino for the Winter Olympics in 2006 to watch the figure skating competition.
Ray had a remarkable mind with a phenomenal memory. He could remember the winners in many Academy Award categories in any given year (and often who they beat out!) He could remember the times of famous swimmers in their most important races.
At the time of his death, he was the Human Resources/Payroll Officer for the Hamilton County Board of Elections. Prior to that, he was the Director of Job and Family Services in Butler County, Ohio, leading their Children Services, Workforce Development, and Child Support Enforcement agencies. He was the past pres- ident of the Ohio Child Support Enforcement Agency Directors’ Association and won numerous awards for leading the highest performing Child Support agency in the state. Before then, he worked for many years as a CSEA attorney. In total, he worked for twenty-five years in child support enforcement.
— Contributed by partner Scott E. Knox
THE REPORT | May/June 2022 | CincyBar.org 29