By Rebecca Billman
The Cincinnati Enquirer

John R. Strauss of East Walnut Hills enjoyed business success over six decades.

With his partner, S. Charles "Bud" Straus of Hyde Park, he owned, at various times, the U.S. Burke Machine Tool Co.; the local Canada Dry Bottling Co.; the Evenwear Manufacturing Co.; and Hanna Stoker, a company that made stokes for coal-fired barge engines.

"In almost 60 years of business association, we had a very amicable relationship," Mr. Straus said. "He was really very astute."

Mr. Strauss, 92, died New Year's Eve after falling under the wheels of a car in the parking lot of a Covington restaurant.

Mr. Strauss was still on the board and active in the operation of the U.S. Burke Machine Tool Co. He found any business venture rewarding.

"He had many hobbies," said his daughter, Louise Holliday of Wyoming. "He loved farming, horse racing, fishing - even gardening - but it was obvious to anyone that work was his favorite hobby."

Farming was a close second.

"Although he was involved in businesses that took him to the city on a daily basis, I basically grew up on a farm," his daughter said. "As a farmer he bred cattle and horses and had any number of small animals. Often he would come to dinner donning the required sports coat, but through the glass table you could see he still wore his knee-high muck boots. He was even known to bring a pony or a calf into the house with him just for effect."

Mr. Strauss bought his first farm in West Chester before he left college and spent much of his time there over the years.

As a child, Mr. Strauss attended Cincinnati's University School, and went on to Yale University, where he majored in physics and was on the swim team.

His first job out of college was at Fleischmann Yeast Co. He later joined his father's business, Strauss Pritz. Mr. Strauss purchased his first business - the Dowling Distillery - which produced bourbon. He spent years traveling the Midwest selling his product.

During World War II, his distillery was used to produce medicine while its owner went to Washington to work for the Navy. After the war he sold his share of the business.

In 1946 Mr. Strauss became a partner in U.S. Burke Machine Tool with Bud Straus.

Over the years, Mr. Strauss was also on the board of Clopay Corp., serving as president and chairman in the '50s. He was also on the board of Southern Ohio Bank and owner of several farms in Kentucky as well as a cattle business.

A philanthropist, Mr. Strauss "went about his business in a quiet way," his daughter said. "He was tremendously generous and did not need anyone to know about his philanthropic side."

He served on the board of overseers of the School for the Creative and Performing Arts and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

He also set up the John Strauss Foundation to fund various research projects at the University of Cincinnati.

Mr. Strauss was preceded in death by his wives, Frances Case Strauss, Florence B. Strauss and Gladys W. Strauss.

Survivors include another daughter, Robin Bernardi of Pacific Palisades, Calif.; a son, Jack Randall Strauss of Reno, Nev.; six grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

The funeral is 2 p.m. today at Norman Chapel at Spring Grove Cemetery.

Memorials: The John Strauss Fund, c/o University of Cincinnati Foundation, the School for Creative and Performing Arts, or the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

E-mail rbillman@enquirer.com