'A person ahead of his time:' John Hondros fondly remembered by friends after his death

John Hondros wanted to help others.

From students to those with chronic pain, Hondros used his entrepreneurial spirit and his medical marijuana business to benefit those around him.

The head of the Hondros Family of Companies died May 28 from natural causes at his home in New Albany. He was 78.

Hondros established Hondros College, which began as a real estate school and now provides career training for various disciplines, including nursing. He also founded Verdant Creations, a medical marijuana dispensary with the goal of providing medical marijuana to rural communities, and related businesses.

Hondros is survived by his wife and business partner, Linda Hondros, four children and three grandchildren.

Those who knew him said he was genuine and caring.

"I'll never forget meeting John the first time," said Francie Henry, central Ohio president for Fifth Third Bank who worked with the Hondros family for 15 years. "When you meet John Hondros, you think you've known him your whole entire life. He's one of those people that just leaves this impression of kindness, of grace and of comfort."

Henry said she always felt Hondros was her "biggest fan and cheerleader," especially when she became market president for Fifth Third.

Henry said she watched the effect he had on the people around him.

"He was always trying to ensure that everyone had equal opportunity to receive an education and to better themselves," she said. "I always felt like John was a person ahead of his time."

She also described John as a visionary and ambassador for his friends, family and colleagues.

"I would consider myself more of an executer or a doer ... but John always got me to just lift my head up and try to see the forest from the trees," Henry said. "I think I can focus more today on where the puck is going versus where the puck is because of the things that I learned from John Hondros."

Karen Morrison, senior vice president for OhioHealth, knew John through his wife, who was a member of the OhioHealth board. Morrison knew the couple for about 15 years.

"Whenever I'm around John, It may have been a one-hour meeting but then we started talking about so many other things," she said. "I was just intrigued by his perspective. Being in his presence seemed to make me think differently, and it would inspire me to want to know more."

Morrison said she was filled with joy to see the relationship John and Linda had, and described the couple as yin and yang. She said John and the Hondros family were always thinking about how to make the most positive impact on the community.

"It wasn't just trying to make money or trying to turn around revenue for investors," she said. "It seemed like he was always driven and inspired and motivated by what would do best for the public good."

Morrison said she felt like she always learned something from John and Linda and noticed how he took younger employees under his wing and developed their leadership.

Henry shared that John's nickname for her was "kiddo."

"The 'Hey, kiddo,'" Henry reminisced. "It's ringing in my ears right now."

Visitation and calling hours for Hondros are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 to 7 p.m. at Rocky Fork Country Club, 5189 Clark State Road, Gahanna. Funeral mass will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, June 14 at the Church of the Resurrection, 6300 E. Dublin-Granville Road, New Albany.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Longtime friends remember John Hondros, founder of Hondros College