Jerome "Jerry" McMahon

Jerome “Jerry” McMahon passed away at the age of 90 on November 28, 2022.

He was born on April 13, 1932, to Anna (Westerbeck) and Howard McMahon in Cincinnati Ohio.  He was the 7th of 8 brothers.  His parents and his brothers preceded him in death.  He started his career at the age of 8 in the “Family Business” selling newspapers.  His corner was 9th and Main Street in downtown Cincinnati.  He always wished he was born rich instead of good looking. 

He graduated from Purcell High School in 1950 and served in the US Army during the Korean War.  After being honorably discharged he met and married Bernadette Ann Murphy, from Bellevue Kentucky, November 24, 1955.  They were blessed with six children: Tim (Cindy) of Denver Colorado, Terre of Bonita Springs Florida, Teresa (Dana) Simon of Mishawaka, Indiana, Judy (Jim) Unland of Bonita Springs, Florida, Colleen (Steve) Fields of Cincinnati Ohio and Paul (Tiffiney)of Mishawaka Indiana. 

To support his wife and growing family, Jerry worked full time for Kroger’s, three nights a week at the Cincinnati Time Star and went full time to Xavier University on the G.I. Bill.  Upon graduating from Xavier with a Degree in Accounting in 1959, he took a job as a field agent for the IRS in the Cincinnati office.    Jerry rose through the ranks of the IRS, passing the CPA exam in Ohio, to become the youngest Appellant Conferee in the Mid- West.  Always looking for opportunities to improve himself and his family, he left Cincinnati and the IRS in 1968 taking a job with McGladrey and Co CPA’s (today known as RSM) in South Bend, Indiana becoming a partner with the firm in 1969.  He stayed with McGladrey’s until 1979 when he returned to Cincinnati to become CEO of the McKenna/Friedmann family companies, namely F&M/Mafco.  The group bought and sold a total of 19 companies in the 5 years he was there.  In 1985 he swapped stock and took control of a couple of those companies, including American Computer Technologies in Cincinnati and Maron Products in Mishawaka Indiana and went out on his own.  Although he never officially retired, he slowed down in the mid 90’s and started spending more time in Florida with his wife Ann.  One joy that he and Ann shared was daily mass, or as they called it, “cramming for finals”.  Unfortunately, Ann passed suddenly in 1997 of a brain aneurism.  Jerry continued going to daily mass the rest of his life. 

Fortunately, Jerry had lightning strike twice in his life and met a wonderful widow in 1998, Lucille Szlanfucht.  They were married in 1999.  They enjoyed the next 20 years traveling around the world, their children, and grandchildren, living their best lives, until Lucille lost her battle with cancer in 2019.   

Shortly after Lucille passed in 2019, Jerry suffered a series of strokes.  He rehabbed and was living in an assisted living facility when COVID hit.  The isolation that COVID brought with it caused Jerry to backslide in his recovery and his daughter and son in law, Teresa, and Dana Simon, opened their home to him and cared for him the next two plus years, doing an incredible job.  Once Jerry was at the Simons in the summer of 2020, miraculously, in less than 48 hours, he was back to his old self, playing golf in the Knights of Columbus, Council 1878 league, enjoying refreshments at the DiLoreto Club and anything else in life that came along.  The high quality of life he lived the last couple of years is due mainly to the love and support he received from Teresa and Dana, as well as the rest of his family. 

Visitation will be at Hahn Funeral Home, Wednesday, November 30, from 4:00-7:00 with a rosary at 7:00.  The funeral mass at St. Monica’s, on Thursday, December 1 at 11:00 with additional visitation at 10:00 am.  Jerry will be buried next to Ann in St. Joseph Cemetery in Price Hill, Cincinnati, Ohio, where a 1:30 PM Friday graveside service will take place.     

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Jerome F. McMahon Scholarship Fund, Purcell Marian High School, 2935 Hackberry Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45206

                                     “You’re Just Too Good to be True”

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