Thanksgiving this year will be a tough holiday for the family of longtime Munroe Falls Councilman Jim Iona, who was found dead Nov. 21.
Jim Iona’s brother Russ said that they both had a longstanding tradition of getting together for Thanksgiving, something they took over from their parents. The holidays this year will be hard, Russ said.
Russ said that the two brothers saw each other practically every day.
“His real estate office and my mortgage broker office were right near each other, in the same plaza,” Russ Iona said. His brother’s death was unexpected.
Jim Iona, 66, was the one who got Russ, himself a former councilman with the Cuyahoga Falls City Council, into politics. Russ said that at the University of Akron, Jim had been involved with the Republican group on campus, while he was involved with the Democrats.
Jim Iona, who had served on council for 12 years, had just won another term in the Nov. 4 general election, and the two brothers had been talking about that two days before he died.
“He had been looking forward to serving another term,” Russ Iona said.
Russ Iona said that one thing people might not know about his brother is that he had a chance to shake hands with two former United States presidents: Bill Clinton, when he threw out the opening pitch for the Cleveland MLB home game in 1994, and George W. Bush.
Jerry Hughes, the former Munroe Falls police chief, said that Jim Iona was the one who had talked him into applying for the chief’s position.
“Way back in the day, I sold real estate for his real estate company,” Hughes said. “He informed me I should put in an application, so next thing you know, there I was.”
Hughes said that he was good friends with Russ and Jim Iona, and they often went to events together.
“Both Russ and Jim, they were close family friends for decades,” Hughes said. “We just did a lot, including going to Browns games. I can’t say enough about him. Our children just loved him. Jenny especially was his buddy, too. I wouldn’t have joined half of these organizations or even known about them if it weren’t for him.”
Jim Iona supported many organizations, including the local police and fire departments, the Akron Crime Clinic and the Cleveland Browns Backers, where he was president for 10 years.
“The man, he walked his talk,” Hughes said. “He was always there for you. He was always there when my kids were born. He was like a member of the family, he really was. I can see why he kept getting reelected in Munroe Falls.”
Linda Hughes, the executive director of the North Akron Chamber of Commerce and Jerry’s wife, said she had known Jim Iona for more than 40 years.
“In 1996, Jim asked me to join the North Akron Chamber of Commerce,” Linda Hughes said in an email. “I worked with him daily on how we could improve businesses in North Hill Akron. I also served with Jim on Akron Board of Trade Council and we were members of Akron Crime Clinic. Jim loved to support the businesses of Akron and was a great supporter of police departments. Jim will be very missed. We are all very heartbroken over his passing.”
Ross Widenor, Munroe Falls City Council president and Ward I representative, said that the city “will miss his experience and his knowledge.”
“We are all just so shocked at the news,” Widenor said. “He was so young. We had just seen him at our Council meeting on Tuesday.”
The city’s charter stipulates that Council fill a vacancy in 30 days, Widenor said. If Council fails to make the appointment, then the mayor will fill the seat. The city’s legal department is still “looking to confirm a couple of logistics” but the appointee will likely serve until 2027, and then that person can choose whether to run for election for an unexpired term.
Those interested in applying for the seat should send a resume and cover letter to Misty Smith, deputy clerk, at City Hall, to msmith@munroefalls.com.
This will be the third councilperson in a year that Council had to find someone to fill the term, Widenor said. Two other councilmembers resigned earlier this year.
Funeral arrangement details were still being planned by the family Nov. 24.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: ‘We are all just so shocked.’ Longtime Munroe Falls councilman dies
Reporting by April Helms, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
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