For J. Scott Spinner, BS ’65, Ohio Northern University will always be positively associated with his love of music and the very special love of his life, his wonderful wife of 57 years, Cheryl (Kennedy) Spinner, BSPh ’66.
Spinner recently honored his late wife and their shared connection to ONU and the ONU Marching Band by establishing three endowed funds. His donation supports ONU’s Forward Together campaign, which seeks to raise $100 million for student scholarships, teaching and learning excellence, facilities, and the Northern Fund.
To assist ONU students who have financial need, Spinner set up the Cheryl (Kennedy) Spinner Endowed Pharmacy Scholarship and the J. Scott and Cheryl Spinner Marching Band Scholarship. Plus, to provide financial support to ONU’s Marching Band, the “Star of Northwest Ohio,” he established the J. Scott Spinner Endowed Marching Band Program Fund.
“We are grateful that Scott chose to honor in such a beautiful way his late wife and their shared affinity for music,” said Shannon Spencer, vice president for advancement. “He and Cheryl both greatly valued their ONU education and fun experiences in marching band. Scott’s important gift will not only strengthen ONU’s marching band program, but will aid many future students with the cost of college.”
Spinner started his college career at The Ohio State University, but soon transferred to ONU for the smaller class sizes. Playing snare drum in ONU’s Marching Band offered him a welcomed break from his studies in history and political science, and minors in science and education.
“I came from a musical family,” he said. “Everyone in my family played at least one instrument.”
While attending Sydney High School, Spinner participated in the school’s highly-disciplined, all-boys marching band. “At the time, the band had a strong esprit de corps and won the National Cherry Blossom Trophy in Washington, D.C.,” he recalled.
He also shared fond memories from his youth of visiting relatives who lived just north of Traverse City, Mich. On Saturday evenings, he and family members would perform in a combo at a local establishment until closing, and then return home and make music together all through the night until his aunt had to leave to play the organ on Sunday morning at the Methodist church services across the street.
During Spinner’s time at ONU, a friend with a mutual major introduced him to fellow band member, Cheryl Kennedy. She played tenor saxophone and was studying pharmacy. He’ll never forget getting out of his “push-button” Dodge outside of Clark Hall after their third date to take Cheryl in before she would get “late minutes.” In that moment, he realized he admired everything about Cheryl, from her curly hair to her sweet personality, and that she was the girl with whom he wanted to spend the rest of his life.
“I can’t put it into words, but it’s a feeling that just hits you over the head and you know it is right,” he said.
Throughout their life together, Spinner often jokingly told people—much to Cheryl’s chagrin—that “we met in band, and we banded together.”
Indeed, from their third date on, they did everything together. Cheryl even helped him drag his cumbersome drum trap set to the top of the bleachers in Taft Auditorium so his pep band could play at the basketball games. “She once asked me, ‘Why couldn’t you have played the piccolo?’” Spinner laughed.
Additionally, Cheryl became a founding member and officer in ONU’s chapter of the national honorary band sorority, Tau Beta Sigma, while Scott was president of Kappa Kappa Psi. “At that time, both were mainly service-oriented honorary societies,” Spinner said.
Scott and Cheryl married in 1966 after they both graduated. Cheryl worked for many years as a pharmacist, and Scott served in the U.S. Army Ohio National Guard and pursued a career in management at MetLife. They raised four children together. Two graduated from ONU with music majors: Sharon Spinner, BM ’94, is a high school band and choir director, and Shane Spinner, BM ’02, a manager for Rettig Music, who was also president of Kappa Kappa Psi at ONU.
The Spinners stayed connected to their alma mater. In fact, both Scott and Cheryl made a special effort to return to campus on Homecoming weekend every year. Scott to strap on a snare drum and Cheryl her sax to march with the Alumni Marching Band. At age 83, Scott is planning to participate again this October.
“It’s always fun to meet the students and march alongside them,” he said.
Unfortunately, Cheryl was stricken with Alzheimer’s disease and passed away on June 27, 2022. “We spent 57 years together and I wished I could have spent another 57 years with her, if only we could have,” said Spinner.
Establishing the three funds at ONU, he added, was his way to honor Cheryl and to acknowledge the significant role that ONU and music played in their life together. “Most of these funds were from stock my grandfather, Dr. A.W. Hobbs, left us. After attending ONU (then the Ohio Normal School), he taught for three years to earn money for medical school,” said Scott. He also noted that Sharon’s son, Eli Spinner, is a current ONU engineering student, continuing the family tradition.
Scott shared that Cheryl benefited from financial help when she was an ONU student. A kind neighbor and teacher contributed just a portion of money toward Cheryl’s education, and it made a big difference.
Scott hopes that the two scholarships he established will also make a big difference for future ONU students. “We want to pay it forward,” said Scott.