Login | May 12, 2025
Former Struthers Judge James R. Lanzo remembered
SHERRY KARABIN
Legal News Reporter
Published: May 5, 2022
He made a name for himself as a teacher, lawyer, law director, prosecutor and judge, but those closest to former Struthers Municipal Court Judge James R. Lanzo said no matter what position he held, the role he valued the most was being a family man.
“My dad was blessed with a very successful career, but if you asked him what his greatest achievement was he would tell you it was being a dedicated husband and great father,” said his son James E. Lanzo, who practiced law with his father until he retired.
“He always put his family first. My brother and me played college football and he made it to all of our games,” said James. “I try to follow his example with my own family as much as possible, but I still fall short.”
Judge Lanzo’s longtime friend retired Mahoning County Common Pleas Court Judge Lou D’Apolito said Judge Lanzo had “a soft heart” and “a real passion” for people.
“Jim had a very distinguished career,” said D’Apolito. “He had a gruff exterior, but he was extremely compassionate and understood human nature. As a judge, he always found that ‘sweet spot’ so that his sentences were not too harsh or too lenient.
“He was a wonderful family man, who loved his children and was so proud of them.”
On Feb. 10 Judge Lanzo passed away with his family at his side at Mercy Health — St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital. He was 77.
“My dad was the kind of person who owned the room,” said his son James. “He could strike up a conversation with a stranger and be friends with them in a minute.
“I looked up to my dad my whole life. He was the reason I played football and he was my role model for choosing to be a lawyer, although he wanted me to be a doctor.
“After I became a lawyer, there was not a day that went by that I wasn’t thinking how would my dad handle this situation,” said James.
Born in Youngstown on Dec. 23, 1944 he was the younger of Louis and Josephine Yeropoli Lanzo’s two sons.
Judge Lanzo grew up in Campbell, Ohio and graduated from Campbell Memorial High School in 1962. In high school, he was co-captain of the Red Devils football team and a member of the All Steel Valley Team.
“Jim and I met as teenagers playing football for opposite teams,” said D’Apolito, now assistant law director for the city of Youngstown.
“Jim was a tremendous athlete,” said D’Apolito. “We played against each other in our senior year at his high school’s homecoming game.
“We continued to reminisce about that game over the years. I would joke around with him, saying ‘who won that game?’
“I enjoyed our friendship over the years,” said D’Apolito. “Our careers mirrored one another’s and we shared common interests, values and work ethics.”
Judge Lanzo received his bachelor’s degree from Youngstown State University in 1966.
As an undergraduate, he majored in mathematics and minored in chemistry and the year he graduated he took a job as a chemistry teacher at Struthers High School.
While teaching, he began working toward his juris doctorate at The University of Akron School of Law.
It was during his final year in law school that he met Kristine Primavera. The two were married on July 25, 1970 and had three children.
After obtaining his juris doctorate in 1972, Judge Lanzo began his career as an associate in Michael Clemente’s law office in Struthers.
From 1973-1993, he also served as village solicitor for the Mahoning County village of Lowellville.
Judge Lanzo became the law director and prosecutor for the city of Struthers in 1976. That same year, he started a solo practice in Youngstown, handling criminal, probate, divorce and personal injury matters.
“After I passed the bar in 1998, I started practicing law with my father and continued to do so until he retired,” said his son James.
Boardman Township solo practitioner Matthew Giannini met Judge Lanzo when he worked for the city of Struthers.
“I had just started practicing law,” Giannini. “We were on opposite sides of civil cases, but I remember that he was always fair and extremely ethical.
“We became very close friends,” Giannini said. “The judge had a great sense of humor and he loved to tell jokes.
“Shortly after he became a judge, he quit hearing my cases because impartiality was of the utmost importance to him.
“First and foremost with the judge was family and then friends,” said Giannini. “He was larger than life both physically and personally. From my perspective, he was a great friend, father figure and like an older brother.”
Mahoning County Common Pleas Court Judge R. Scott Krichbaum initially got to know Judge Lanzo while serving as a bailiff to Common Pleas Court Judge Clyde Osborne.
“When I first met Jim he was a new lawyer,” said Judge Krichbaum. “When I became a defense attorney, he and I were adversaries. He was a tough prosecutor, but fair.
“Later, after I took the bench, he appeared before me,” said Judge Krichbaum. “Jim represented his clients well.”
Judge Krichbaum said the two were part of a dinner group that would travel several times a year to high-end restaurants around northeast Ohio and Pennsylvania.
“Jim enjoyed going out to eat,” said Judge Krichbaum. “He was a big friendly outgoing gentleman and I always liked him,” said Judge Krichbaum.
Judge Lanzo was elected to Struthers Municipal Court in 1993 and remained on the bench until he retired in 2017.
He continued to maintain his private practice throughout his career.
During his time on the bench, he also spent four years as a criminal law instructor at YSU.
A longtime member of The Mahoning County and Ohio State bar associations, Judge Lanzo served as president of the Rotary Club of Struthers and the Struthers Business Association. He was also a member of the Mount Carmel Society in Lowellville and the Struthers Lions Club, which presented him with an award for his service to the community.
A resident of Struthers, Judge Lanzo was a member of Christ Our Savior Parish at St. Nicholas Roman Catholic Church. He remained a loyal supporter of the Struthers Baseball Association, sponsoring a team for over 30 years.
“Dad loved sports, especially the Cleveland teams,” said his son James. “He would never watch anything but sports.”
While Judge Lanzo left the Struthers school system in 1973, he continued to collaborate with administrators and educators while working for the city and as a judge.
In 2011 the Struthers School Foundation for Educational Excellence inducted him into the Hall of Fame.
Ronald Iarussi, former superintendent of the Mahoning County Educational Service Center and the Mahoning County Career and Technical Center gave the keynote speech at the event.
“Judge Lanzo was actually a friend of my mom’s and he was much more than just a role model to me,” said Iarussi, now Marion City Schools superintendent. “I had the utmost respect for him.
“When I was at Struthers High School, I spent the day shadowing him during our Civic Day event. He was the law director and prosecutor at the time and I wanted to be him.
“Judge Lanzo was a powerful and compassionate individual and he did so much to help the community. He worked with the school system to get parents more involved in their children’s education and gave back in other countless ways.
“I admired him tremendously and wanted to emulate his public service,” said Iarussi. “At one point I thought about being a lawyer.”
“Jim was pretty much the king of Struthers,” said Judge Krichbaum. “He was involved in all aspects of the community and did a very good job for them.”
In addition to watching and attending sporting events, Judge Lanzo enjoyed spending time at casinos, a good cigar and music, said his son James.
“Dad would sing in the car when he drove my sister and her friends to school in the morning,” said James. “He nicknamed himself the lead singer of a fake band, ‘Jimmy and the Lasagnas.’
“He was a great guy and a lot of fun to be around.”
A Mass of Christian Burial was held for Judge Lanzo on Feb. 17 at St. Nicholas Roman Catholic Church, followed by interment at Poland Riverside Cemetery in Poland.
Judge Lanzo is survived by his wife Kristine; his children James Edward (Deanna) Lanzo of Poland, Jason Louis (Amber Waller) Lanzo and Gina Marie (Mark) Bradley of Struthers; grandchildren Brianna, James, Sofia, Anthony, Carmella and Bella Lanzo and Edward and Mia Bradley (with another grandchild on the way); three great-grandchildren; brothers and sisters-in-law Gerald and Linda Ambrosia, Gary and Anita Primavera and Gloria Olson; nephews Louis Lanzo, Donald Lanzo, Robert Lanzo, David Olson, Mathew Olson, Michael Ambrosia and Brian Ambrosia and nieces Josie Minnie and Bertie Verbanac.
In addition to his parents, his brother Carmen Lanzo, sister-in-law Jane Lanzo, nephews Raymond Lanzo and Frank Minnie and great-nephew Ryan Lanzo all preceded him in death.