By Rebecca Goodman
Enquirer staff writer

ANDERSON TWP. - Henry Ernst "Hank" Sheldon II, a criminal lawyer, conservationist and civil rights proponent, died July 6 at Christ Hospital of respiratory failure. The Anderson Township resident was 68.

Mr. Sheldon enjoyed a 41-year law career that included a seven-year stint as a U.S. commissioner of the Southern District of Ohio beginning in 1965. Called a magistrate today, back then a U.S. commissioner heard cases in federal court.

His family has a long history in Ohio jurisprudence, beginning with his great-great-grandfather, Downing H. Young, who established a practice in 1853. His son, Henry Ernst "Tre" Sheldon III of Milford - who worked with Mr. Sheldon until his death - continues the tradition.

The senior Mr. Sheldon joined the law firm of Hopkins, Hopkins, Dilson & Morrissey in Cincinnati soon after graduation from the U.C. College of Law in 1963. He practiced criminal law, specializing in conspiracy and white-collar crime. In 1973 he left to form Sheldon & Pitzer and at the time of his death was still principal of Henry Sheldon & Associates.

He also taught courses at the U.C. College of Law and the Salmon P. Chase College of Law and wrote articles pertaining to precedents from trials on which he worked.

"Hank was known on both sides of the river as an excellent criminal defense attorney who zealously represented his clients' interests to the very end," said U.S. District Judge Susan Dlott. "He was just in front of me a few months ago in a wheelchair. His criminal client was pushing the wheelchair because he so much wanted Hank to represent him. Hank was terrific to the end."

A native of Sandusky, Ohio, Mr. Sheldon was on the board of Little Miami Inc. His interest in conservation dates to his father, Dean Ernst Sheldon, an obstetrician who purchased land along Lake Erie near Huron, Ohio, in the 1950s. The family maintained that property as a wildlife sanctuary and deeded it to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources in the 1970s. It is now known as Sheldon Marsh.

Mr. Sheldon worked for years to clean up the Little Miami River. "When I was 10 or 11 years old, the river was just trashed," said his son, Tre Sheldon. "There were cars in there. ... It was just nasty. I remember literally doing the physical work (cleaning up the river) with my dad. We'd be in a canoe waiting for dump trucks to come and haul things out of the river. It was like a junkyard. Now it's a National Scenic River."

During the 1960s, Mr. Sheldon was on a board that mediated between law enforcement and the community after Cincinnati neighborhoods were wracked by race riots.

He ran as a Democrat for state representative in the 65th House District in 1976, but lost to Robert A. Taft II.

Mr. Sheldon held a bachelor's degree in history from Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Ind., and graduated magna cum laude with a master's degree in modern American political history from UC.

He was a member of the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer - where he was a lector and delegate to the Diocesan Convention and Evangelism Commission - for 35 years. He was also on the governing board of Episcopal Cursillo of Southern Ohio and a past president of the UC College of Law Alumni Association.

In addition to his son, survivors include his wife of 43 years, Gale Parrish Sheldon; a daughter, Susannah Parrish Sheldon of Washington, D.C.; two brothers, Dean Ernst Sheldon Jr. of Greenwich, Ohio, and Don Young Sheldon of Singer Island, Fla.; and a granddaughter.

The funeral is 1 p.m. Saturday at Episcopal Church of the Redeemer, 2944 Erie Ave. in Hyde Park, followed by a reception.

Memorials: Church of the Redeemer Memorial Fund, 2944 Erie Ave. Cincinnati, OH 45208.