Robert Emil Payt

Robert “Bob” E. Payt, 89, of Dublin, passed away Friday, January 29, 2016 of respiratory failure. He is survived by his beloved wife Ruth of 66 years, and children Sharon, Janice, Steve, Janice’s husband James Lacy, and many extended family members.

His life exemplified the best of the American dream as a man of honor, vision and generosity. Bob was born in 1926 in Gary, Indiana to the late Anna and Michael Payt, both Ukrainian immigrants, and was the only son among four older sisters (Annabelle, Helen, Irene and Julia, now deceased). He was a veteran, signing up for the U.S. Marines at the young age of 16 to fight in World War Two, where he served in the Pacific Theatre, then Tokyo as an MP. After the war, he returned to Indiana, where he married Ruth Smenyak in 1949. He attended Texas A&M and graduated from Valparaiso University Law School with a Juris Doctor degree.

While living in Chicago, Bob was an international steel broker then a criminal defense attorney. He also entered into local politics, campaigning in Spanish. In 1956, their young family moved to Ohio, where Bob pursued real estate development with a law school partner who built large housing subdivisions throughout the Columbus area. He learned to fly single engine planes, surveying rural land tracts among central Ohio farmlands.

Later, Bob founded and served as President of Payt Construction Company, in partnership with Foote Johnston, specializing in residential and commercial construction. The company built distinguished landmark projects including the Ohio Historical Village, extensive renovations at Ohio State University, a major renovation at DCSC, and numerous commercial projects throughout downtown Columbus. Payt Construction eventually developed a specialty building HUD-sponsored, affordable housing projects throughout the Midwest including Columbus, Dayton, Milwaukee, and Flint, numbering thousands of units.

Bob was a strong athlete who loved sports especially Ohio State football. While attending Valparaiso University he played football and later became an avid tennis player. He was a natural golfer, spending some of his best years on the links with his friends at Imperial Golf Club in Naples, Florida, and several Columbus golf clubs.

Known to his friends as “Big Bob” - he had a charismatic personality with a keen sense of humor and counseled many who needed help. He was a wonderful husband and highly beloved father, and his family and friends will greatly miss him.

In closing, Bob was proud to say he was “born again” and asked us to include this final word: “The Lord of my life and salvation, whom shall I fear? I am now safe in the arms of Jesus.”

A memorial to celebrate his life will be held on Saturday, February 13, 2016, with visitation starting at 1:00PM, a memorial service at 2:00, followed by a reception and fellowship from 3:00 to 5:00, at Schoedinger Funeral Home, 6699 North High Street, Worthington, Ohio.

Honoring his love for cats including his beloved cat, Paddy, we invite memorial on-line donations to the Cozy Cat Cottage specializing in animal rescues at: www.cozycatcottage.org.