Page 28 - MarchApril26 Report

m e m o r i a l s
John W. Fischer III
1943 – 2025
John W. Fischer III was born on
August 1, 1943 in Cincinnati, Ohio to
the late John W. Fischer Jr. and Aileen
Fischer, and passed away peacefully on
Saturday, October 4, 2025, at the age of
82.
A proud graduate of Walnut Hills High School, John obtained
both his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of
Michigan. Upon his admission to the Ohio Bar in 1968, John
became an associate and then partner of the Cincinnati law firm
Peck, Shaffer & Williams, where he engaged in the practice of
municipal finance law for 46 years.
During his years at Peck, Shaffer & Williams, John was greatly
respected by his clients and fellow lawyers as a highly intelligent
and broadly experienced resource on municipal finance law and
practice. Upon Peck, Shaffer’s merger with Dinsmore & Shohl,
John continued to be sought out for his expertise as an Of Counsel
Partner with Dinsmore & Shohl.
John W. Fischer III always brought the highest level of profes-
sionalism to the practice of law. For example, he always strived to
treat opposing counsel with courtesy and respect and he always
placed the interests of clients above all else. He sought fairness and
integrity in all of his dealings. He was an old-school lawyer whose
advice and counsel were worth their weight in gold. He and his
approach to the practice of law will be greatly missed.
Beyond his commitment to and accomplishments in the prac-
tice of law, John’s two truest loves were his family and golf. An
avid player, collector of memorabilia, and writer about golf, his
insights and stories captured the spirit and history of the game.
John is survived by his wife of 53 years, Helena Sive Fischer;
son, John W. Fischer IV and granddaughters Virginia and Lucille
Fischer. In addition to his parents, John was preceded in death by
his son, Leonard Fischer.
28 | march/april 2026 cba report
Hon. John
O’Connor
1939 – 2025
On July 18, 2025, the legal commu-
nity lost a man who spent a lifetime in
the service of the law and justice. In a
time when many strive to be well-known
or famous, Judge O’Connor seemed satis-
fied with living a good life that had purpose and meaning. The
manner in which he conducted himself in life, I believe, reflects
his education at St. Xavier High School and Xavier University. The
values of striving for the greater good, engaging his intellect to
analyze problems and understand complex issues, and promoting
justice were an obvious part of who he was.
His career reflects the values in which he believed. He began
as a unit leader at the Hamilton County Juvenile Court Deten-
tion Center. While he attended law school at Salmon P. Chase
College of Law, he worked as a probation officer for the Hamilton
County Juvenile Court, and after being admitted to the Ohio Bar
he served as a magistrate for that court. Following a brief time
in private practice, Judge O’Connor was appointed, and subse-
quently re-elected, to the Municipal Court bench. His judicial
career continued as a judge on the Juvenile Court bench and ulti-
mately as a judge in the Court of Common Pleas. With his time
as a visiting judge included, Judge O’Connor had a judicial career
that spanned 35 years.
There was a minor event in his life that illustrates his humor
and kindness. Some years ago, he encountered a young attorney
in the cereal aisle of the Delhi Kroger. She had the flu. Her hair
was sticking up at odd angles. Her one year old child, Cora, and
her four year old, Mikey, were out of control and screaming. Judge
Lisa Allen reports that the look on Judge O’Connor’s face was
memorable. The next week at work, Judge O’Connor had his clerk
deliver a self-help book to Lisa’s office (this event was before Lisa
Allen became a judge). He had dog-eared certain pages for her
particular attention. That John O’Connor would take the time to
support another human being reveals much about his gentle sense
of humor and his concern for others.
His life centered on his marriage of 40 years to Dr. Kathleen
O’Connor and the devotion of much of his time to their chil-
dren and grandchildren. Judge O’Connor’s Roman Catholic faith
included being a longtime parishioner at St. Antonius Church.
John O’Connor was loved by many and admired by everyone
who knew him.