Peter S. Olivito

Pietro Saverio Olivito, Attorney at Law passed away April 24, 2022 at home. He was born in Star City, WV on November 4, 1937, the son of Italian immigrant parents Antonio and Caterina Olivito.

He was Roman Catholic by faith and a U.S. Army veteran. He graduated from St. Francis High School where he was Valedictorian and played football, baseball, and basketball. After graduating from high school, Peter attended West Virginia University and he played left field on the Mountaineer baseball team. After graduating in 1959 with a business degree he went on to attend Ohio Northern University where he obtained his Juris Doctorate degree and was admitted to the Ohio State Bar Association on October 17, 1962. Peter served 59 years as a trial attorney practicing Criminal law, Domestic relations, Juvenile law, Bankruptcy, Worker’s Compensation, Social Security, Insurance, Malpractice, Wrongful Death, and Products Liability. He was a Police Prosecutor, City of Steubenville, for 6 years, Prosecutor of Jefferson County, Ohio, Clerk of Jefferson County, Ohio, Seventh Appellate District for 30 years, Solicitor, Village of Dillonvale, Ohio for 13 years, Solicitor of Village of Amsterdam, Ohio for 2 years, Solicitor of Wells Township for 4 years, Special Counsel for Area “M” Water and Sewage Project, Special Counsel for Dillonvale- Mt. Pleasant Waste Water and Sewage Project, Special Counsel for Jefferson Metropolitan Housing Authority, Special Counsel for Label and Company, Counsel for American Industries Resources Corporation, Inc., Counsel for S & D Construction Company, Inc., Lecturer “Judge Bars Opinions”- West Virginia University School of Nursing, Lecturer “Continuing Real Estate Education”- Jefferson County Community College. His professional associations included the American Bar Association, Ohio State Bar association, Jefferson County Bar Association, Ohio Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. Peter was admitted to practice before The Supreme Court of the United States, United States District Court of Ohio, All courts of the State of Ohio, Lead Counsel, Capital Murder cases with participation in 15 murder trials in Jefferson, Belmont, and Harrison Counties. He had trial and probate experience in 28 Ohio counties, as well as West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. Professional and social and community affiliations included Italian American Club, Delta Theta Phi Legal Fraternity, Diocesan School Board, Ducks Unlimited, Fraternal Order of Police booster, Holy Rosary Catholic Central School Board, Jefferson County Democratic Club, Jefferson County Fairboard, Jefferson County Farm Bureau, Knights of Columbus, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, National Wild Turkey Federation, Pheasants Forever, Richmond Lions Club, Rotary Club of Steubenville, Ruffed Grouse Society, and St. John Fisher Church. Peter loved the Mountaineers and many hunting and fishing trips to South Dakota, and Canada with his buddies. He was an avid outdoorsman and loved nature. He enjoyed raising cattle and his much loved Labrador retrievers. He most enjoyed time spent with family and friends in Hatteras, N.C., at WVU football games, and anywhere he was hunting, and especially spending time with those he held close to his heart at the annual Olivito Christmas parties. He loved to tell jokes and laugh, and was a voracious reader.

Peter leaves behind those to forever mourn his passing and whose lives are fuller because he loved us, his wife of 58 years Martha Clark Olivito, daughters Stephanie (Ron) Rankin of Mount Joy, PA, Alisia (Tim) Mitchell of Dublin, OH and Alexia (Frank) Lebherz of Frederick, MD. Grandchildren include Marissa Rankin, Peter Rankin, Rena Rankin, Cameron Mitchell, Bella Mitchell, Frank Lehberz, Prosser Lebherz, and Saverio Lebherz and numerous nephews and nieces and brother-in-law Louis Birurakis. He is preceded in death by his parents, brothers John Olivito, Anthony Olivito, Dominick Olivito, sisters Daisy Riggs, Rose Rosenstein, and JoAnn Birurakis. Peter’s favorite charities are the Family House of Shadyside, 5245 Centre Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, Cancer Dietary Initiative Care of Dr. Pervaiz Bahman MD, 3204 Johnson RD, Stubenville, Ohio 43952, and the Wounded Warrior Project, 4899 Belford Rd, Suite 306, Jacksonville, Florida 32256.