Page 33 - November December CBA Report

MEMORIALS
Memorials honor the lives of deceased members of the local Bar. For more information, contact Lisa Quintanilla at (513) 699-1391 or lquintanilla@cincybar.org.
William E. Santen
1928 – 2025
William (Bill) Earls Santen, 97,
passed away peacefully on August 23,
2025. He was preceded in death by his
wife, Nancy, of 65 years. Bill is survived
by three children, Bill, Tom, and Libby
and six grandchildren.
Bill was born in Cincinnati, Ohio in
1928 and grew up in Cincinnati. Bill graduated from St. Xavier
High School and Georgetown University. After college, he worked
for Procter and Gamble in Chicago, Illinois. Bill served as a Medic
in the 6th Tank Battalion of the U.S. Army’s 24th Infantry Division
during the Korean War, which was the first division to respond to
the Korean War outbreak.
Following his service, Bill earned his Juris Doctor degree from
The University of Cincinnati College of Law and practiced law in
his father’s firm. In 1958, he and his brother, Harry, formed the
law firm Santen & Santen which evolved into Santen & Hughes.
His practice areas included dispute resolution, eminent domain,
medical malpractice, intellectual property, real property, admi-
ralty and aviation.
Along with his law practice, Bill served in a number of roles
including Assistant Attorney General for the State of Ohio under
William Saxbe, Assistant City Solicitor, and Trial Counsel for the
City of Cincinnati. During the 1970s Bill was appointed as an
advance man for three U.S. Vice Presidents, Spiro Agnew, Gerald
Ford, and Nelson Rockefeller, and was involved with planning
and managing their travel in conjunction with the U.S. Secret
Service and the White House Communication Commission. Bill
was appointed to the International Maritime Communications
Conference in London, England by President Nixon and also
assisted with George H.W. Bush and Ronald Reagan’s presiden-
tial campaigns.
In 2010, he was honored by the Cincinnati Bar Association for
his philanthropic work with the John W. Warrington Community
Service Award. In 2013, the CBA acknowledged Bill’s accomplish-
ments with the John L. Muething Lifetime Achievement in Law
Award. In 2019, he was honored by the USO for his service during
the Korean War.
Bill often said that charitable work had been a true gift to his
life and gave all credit to his faith and marriage. He served on
numerous boards and organizations, including Our Daily Bread
Soup Kitchen, Tender Mercies, the Health Resource Center, the
United Services Organization (USO) Committee, St. Gertrude
Conference of St. Vincent de Paul, Great Oaks Institute of Tech-
nology and Career Development, Little Sisters of the Poor, and
St. Xavier Church.
Notwithstanding his many accomplishments as a lawyer,
Bill will be most remembered for his warmth, sense of humor,
selflessness, and generosity of spirit. He was a mentor to nearly
every lawyer who crossed his path. Bill was deeply admired and
respected by attorneys who knew him, whether as a fellow plain-
tiffs’ attorney or adversary in the courtroom. He was beloved by
his clients.
Kevin P. Jones
1945 – 2025
Kevin P. Jones passed away peacefully
at the age of 79 surrounded by his family
Kevin attended St. Mary’s Catholic
School in Hyde Park and proudly grad-
uated from Purcell High School. He
then received a business degree from
the University of Cincinnati. After
graduating from UC, Kevin began teaching and working as the
business manager of Badin High School. While working full-
time, Kevin put himself through Chase College of Law’s evening
class program, studying nights and weekends on a makeshift table
below a single light bulb in a basement. He received his Juris
Doctorate from Chase in 1974. That work ethic never left him.
Kevin married his best friend and the love of his life, Margie
Jones, on January 6, 1968 and had two sons. Despite working long
THE REPORT | November/December 2025 | CincyBar.org hours, he never missed a sporting event or a chance to tell his sons
he was proud of them. His life’s passion was serving others. He
served on various charitable boards and spent countless hours
serving the homeless. He was the family or friend who showed
up for one in need, without being asked and often without telling
a soul. He lived his life with an indomitable spirit.
Kevin’s successful law practice cut across many fields by repre-
senting various labor unions, serving as in-house counsel for
several healthcare software companies, and representing clients
in their estate planning needs. He truly loved the practice of law.
Kevin is survived by his wife, Margie; two sons, Bryan and his
wife Christy, and Scott and his wife Denise; six grandchildren —
Rachel, Hallie, Megan, Abby, Mary and Zach; three brothers; four
sisters; and many friends.
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