James J. Condit Sr.

James J. Condit Sr. passed peacefully into eternal life on March 9, 2026, at the age of 95, fortified by the Sacraments of Holy Mother Church. Born in Dayton, Kentucky, in 1930 to Horace and Helena (Walsh) Condit, he was the oldest of nine children and learned early how to selflessly provide for his family. The Condits cherished their Irish heritage and later moved to the east side of Cincinnati, where James attended St. Margaret of Cortona grade school. It was there, in the second grade, that he first met his future bride, Rose Marie Kenney.

After graduating from Purcell High School in 1948, he enlisted in the Ohio National Guard and later served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, receiving an Honorable Discharge. In 1952 he married Rose, earned a Bachelor’s Degree from Xavier University, and began his career as an accountant. In 1958, with five young children, he started night classes at Salmon P. Chase Law School. He graduated and passed the Ohio Bar Exam in 1962, shortly after the birth of their eighth child. During those demanding years, he faithfully attended daily 5:00 a.m. Mass. He later shared that he had promised God he would dedicate his legal career to honoring Him if granted the grace to pass the bar. He kept that promise throughout his life.

James opened his own law practice near the family’s Madisonville home and later partnered with attorney Jack Dressing for more than 25 years. Deeply committed to the ideals of the legal profession, he served without pay for 42 years on the Grievance Committee of the Cincinnati Bar Association. He fought tirelessly in defense of the Catholic Faith, the lives of the unborn, and the rights of parents with children in Catholic schools. A co-founder of Citizens for Educational Freedom, he lobbied for school choice and testified before a U.S. Congressional Committee in 1968. His efforts in 1965 helped secure yellow bus service for Catholic and other non-public school children in Ohio. He was also present in the earliest days of the pro-life movement, including the high-profile 1986 case of Planned Parenthood v. Project Jericho.

He was preceded in death by his first wife of 63 years, Rose Marie (Kenney) Condit, his three brothers Jack, Jerry, and Joe Condit, his son James Condit Jr., and his grandchildren Therese Condit, Brett Richard Peterson III, Josephine Jacobeen, Ezekiel Greve, Gabriella Starr, and Roger Condit. He is survived by his loving wife of 10 years, Mary Lou (Donoghue) Condit, his four sisters Joan Neuhaus, Janice Kennedy, Jeneane (Mike) Kandrack, and Judy (Jack) Peltz, his brother Jeff (Kay) Condit, his ten children Carolyn Condit, Teresa (John) Schutzman, Tom (Kristina) Condit, Eileen (Paul) Ramstetter, Mary Condit, Ann (Dave) Winkle, Jenn (Dan) Giroux, Gina (Dave) Greve, John (Christine) Condit, and David (Monica) Condit, 52 grandchildren, 68 great-grandchildren, and many beloved cousins, nieces, and nephews.