The Charles H. Dater Foundation joins his family and friends in mourning the loss of Foundation founding director and Vice President John D. Silvati, who died Thursday, May 8 of congestive heart failure and complications from a recent setback in a thirty year battle with heart-related issues.

Services were held Saturday morning, May 17 at Horizon Community Church with family and hundreds of friends attending.

“John will be missed,” said fellow board member Jack Frank.  “He cared deeply about the Foundation’s work and was committed to making grants to non-profit organizations that would create the highest possible impact. He had a terrific sense for organizations that had great potential.  It was a great honor to know and work with John for over 50 years. He was an inspiration to many and respected by all.”    

Silvati was a founding member of the Dater Foundation's board of directors. A native Cincinnatian, he graduated from Purcell High School and attended Xavier University on a football scholarship, earning his Bachelor's degree in Business Administration. He fulfilled his college R.O.T.C. commitment by serving two years as an artillery officer in the U.S. Army in the early 1960s. 

After the Army, he joined Merrill Lynch as a financial consultant. He left to join another firm in the early 1970s, but returned to Merrill in 1974 as a Vice President. He was resident manager of the firm's Blue Ash office at the time he retired in 1997. 

He served as a board member of Ensemble Theater of Cincinnati and Kenwood County Club, and was on the Session Board of Indian Hill Church. He is survived by his wife Linda, six children and 13 grandchildren. 

See more photos a John in the Photo Gallery of this web site ... click here.