It Happened In Crawford County | Judge Steven D. Eckstein
Steven D. Eckstein grew up in Jefferson Township, the middle child of Millard and Kathryn; his brother Michael is deceased and his sister Deborah lives in Crestline. Steven started school at Leesville where the baby boomers were literally pushing the walls out. After several consolidations of North Robinson, Leesville, Whetstone and Sulphur Springs, he graduated with the largest class at Colonel Crawford High School in 1964.
Steven enrolled at the Ohio State University, transferred to Urbana College and then Ohio Northern University at Ada where he received a degree in history and political science. He was persuaded to enroll in the law school there and graduated with a juris doctor degree in 1972. He passed the bar exam that November and began to practice with attorney Rolland Laughbaum in Galion.
Nelford Kimerline was the Eastern District county court fudge at that time, but was selected to be the judge of the General Division Common Pleas Court. The general division filled the vacancy for the Eastern District county court and attorney Eckstein was appointed as Kimerline's replacement. In May of 1979, Judge Kimerline asked him to be the domestic relations referee for the general division court.
Then in 1981, Judge Bender of the municipal court asked him to also be the traffic and small claims referee for the court. Next, people urged him to run for the probate-juvenile court judgeship so in 1984 he took their advice. There was a three-way race in the primary and general elections, and he was chosen in the general election and took office in February 1985. Since that time, he has continued in that position.
The probate-juvenile court basically has family law jurisdiction. The juvenile division handles cases involving youths who may have committed criminal offences, known as being delinquent; or being wayward and disobedient, known as being unruly. Juvenile court also has jurisdiction over establishing parentage, custody, child support, visitation and medical care for children of unwed parents. The juvenile division also handles child welfare cases, known as abuse neglect and dependency. A child welfare case is initiated by Job and Family Services investigation of a referral and if they find grounds to be believe the child was in an abused, neglected or dependent condition they then file a complaint with the court.
The probate division handles decedent's estates, trusts, guardianships, adult protective service cases and adoptions. Adult protective service cases provides for the investigation of neglect, abuse or exploitation of persons age 60 and older. The probate court is also responsible for settling the final affairs of an individual and transferring assets to those entitled to inherit, known as decedent's estates. The probate court is responsible for issuing marriage licenses.
The main purpose of acquiring records is to assure the proper people are known and involved. The genealogist relies heavily on probate court records, even though they are not collected for that particular purpose. The paperwork involved to properly transfer the assets of someone passed away leaves a track record. People should look at where generations that preceded them and take pride in what ancestors have accomplished.
Judge Eckstein is amazed with the generation that lived through the Great Depression and World War II on both fronts. We are spoiled, by today's standards; we have no idea what that generation went through, the rationing and hardships. Steven's mother was a nurse at Galion Hospital. She lived 5 miles away and the problems she had finding gas and tires for the car to be able to get to work. Now it is important to balance it, what we are today, logging onto the internet. The older generation didn't have that luxury or convenience, they had to figure things out or go to the library for answers.
His dad was a machinist, and very proud to say he cut chips, enjoyed machining steel. They hated to tell dad the lawnmower was broken because then he would insist on building a replacement part from a piece of raw steel. He finished his career as tool and die maker, loved his job.
Judge Eckstein married Trudy Lynn Dill, who lived on Remlinger Road with her parents. She was a legal secretary. She spent a number of years at Spurlock and Sears, then went to Robert Neff’s office and then subsequently became the legal secretary for attorneys Laughbaum and Eckstein. She was artsy and enjoyed counted cross stitching and Steven marvels that it didn't ruin her eyesight. After she passed in June 2016, on Father's Day, they found about 50 to 60 beautiful counted cross stitch pieces she had never had framed. She also liked country decorating.
There was a time the judge enjoying bass fishing, but still enjoys taking his grandsons bobber fishing. He discovered in later years that one common element for lawyers is they have an insatiable appetite for reading, which includes him. He is a member of Calvary United Church of Christ in Crestline. The couple adopted twin daughters, Anastasia Lynn Eckstein, who resides in North Robinson with her four sons; and Andrea Nicole Schlote, who resides in Louisville, Kentucky, and has two daughters and two sons.
Readers if you are interested in genealogy or sharing a story email or write Crawford County Genealogy Society, 931 Marion Road, Bucyrus, OH 44820 Mary Fox email littlefoxfactory@columbus.rr.com.