McDonald v. Foos

2026 Ohio 1004
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedMarch 24, 2026
DocketWD-24-069
StatusPublished

This text of 2026 Ohio 1004 (McDonald v. Foos) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
McDonald v. Foos, 2026 Ohio 1004 (Ohio Ct. App. 2026).

Opinion

[Cite as McDonald v. Foos, 2026-Ohio-1004.]

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF OHIO SIXTH APPELLATE DISTRICT WOOD COUNTY

Debra L. McDonald, in her capacity Court of Appeals No. {87}WD-24-069 of Executrix for the Estate of Wilma Jennings Trial Court No. 2023 CV 0414

Appellant

v.

George J. Foos, et al. DECISION AND JUDGMENT

Appellees Decided: March 24, 2026

*****

Paul C. Redrup, for appellant.

Richard Kolb and Braden Blumenstiel, for appellees.

***** SULEK, J.

{¶ 1} Appellant, Debra McDonald, Executrix of the Estate of Wilma Jennings,

appeals a judgment from the Wood County Court of Common Pleas confirming a jury

verdict in favor of appellees, George and Rita Foos. Upon due consideration, the

judgment is affirmed. I. Facts and Procedural History

{¶ 2} Wilma Jennings and the Fooses were friends and neighbors for over 40

years. In 2018, Jennings executed a survivorship warranty deed granting the Fooses

nearly 25 acres of agricultural land. In October 2020, Jennings, nearly 90, needed more

help personally and around the house so the Fooses contacted Debra McDonald, a retired

STNA and friend of the Jennings’ family. Soon after hiring McDonald, Jennings

informed the Fooses that they were “parting ways.” Attempts by the Fooses to speak

with Jennings resulted in the sheriff’s office being called to Jennings’ home. The Fooses

believed that McDonald influenced Jennings’ actions.

{¶ 3} In October 2021, Jennings filed a verified complaint seeking return of the

property. Jennings claimed that the Fooses fraudulently induced her to give them the

property by promising that as consideration they would care for her the rest of her life.

Jennings claimed that they failed to provide the agreed-upon care. The Fooses filed a

third-party complaint against McDonald claiming that she fraudulently induced Jennings

to breach their agreement; the parties reached a settlement, and the Fooses subsequently

dismissed their claim against McDonald.

{¶ 4} Jennings died in January 2023, and on April 24, 2023, McDonald, as the

executrix of the estate, dismissed the action without prejudice.

{¶ 5} McDonald commenced a second action for return of the property requesting

the court declare that the 2018 deed was void and raising claims of fraud in the

inducement, fraud, quiet title, breach of contract, trespass, trespass to chattels,

2. conversion, and breach of fiduciary duty, and she requested an accounting of all actions

undertaken by the Fooses while acting as Jennings’ power of attorney.

{¶ 6} The matter proceeded to a jury trial with the parties stipulating to the

admission of the Fooses’ and Wilma Jennings’ prior deposition testimony. Prior to

commencement, the parties discussed the Fooses’ proposed jury instruction of tortious

interference with contract. The Fooses’ counsel explained that “one of our main

defenses, other than the fact that it was a gift, is going to be that Deb interfered with

anything that our clients are alleged that they were supposed to do.” McDonald’s counsel

stated that defending against a claim “you don’t have to assert a claim of tortious

interference, you would simply have to indicate that the purpose or their completion of

the contract was frustrated.” The Fooses’ counsel acknowledged that “it would be an

inappropriate claim” but they wanted to preserve “the argument that Deb is the one that

frustrated our client’s ability, if the jury even considers there was a contract, so I don’t

have a problem withdrawing.”

{¶ 7} The parties presented the testimony of the Fooses, McDonald, Jennings’

daughter Marilyn Bostleman, and multiple family friends. George Foos testified that

during the relevant time period, Jennings was a widow who had two adult children, one

of which, Karen, always required specialized care due to having epilepsy. He stated that

for nearly 40 years he helped Jennings around the house with tasks such as mowing grass,

plowing snow, taking her to doctor, dentist and hair appointments, working on her roof,

furnace, and other household fixtures, and helping her with Karen. Counsel then

3. presented George with Jennings’ deposition testimony where she denied most of

George’s assertions but agreed that he fixed the bathroom sink. George testified that

Jennings gifted Rita and him the property “based on everything we had done in the past

for her,” her mother and father, her husband, daughter, and brother.

{¶ 8} On October 19, 2020, Jennings called the Fooses and told Rita that they

were “parting ways.” George went to her home after work; he testified that he saw

McDonald sitting on the floor counting money. After unsuccessfully trying to enter the

house, George returned home. A deputy sheriff soon arrived. After discussing the matter

and expressing their concerns, the Fooses agreed to not enter Jennings’ property without

permission.

{¶ 9} On November 8, 2020, George telephoned Jennings at least once (the

sheriff’s report lists three calls) and she hung up on him. McDonald called the sheriff’s

office and explained that she would like the Fooses to remove all their belongings from

Jennings’ barn, return Jennings’ tractor, and end all communications with them.

{¶ 10} On November 28, 2020, a deputy sheriff came out a third time following

claims that George damaged the barn while removing his property and that he took items

that did not belong to him, including a ladder. George agreed that he failed to

acknowledge any damage to the barn’s threshold and claimed that the ladder was his.

{¶ 11} Finally, on January 13, 2021, McDonald called the sheriff’s office claiming

that the Fooses had stolen a zero-turn lawnmower from the property. George stated that

Jennings purchased the mower in 2016, but that she could not operate it. He stated that

4. the mower was too small and that he used his own mower to cut her lawn. George

maintained that Jennings eventually gave him the mower and he sold it for approximately

$1,000.

{¶ 12} Counsel questioned George about seemingly contradictory statements he

made that McDonald had caused the Fooses to breach their contract with Jennings and

that Jennings gifted them the 25-acre parcel. George stated that Jennings gifted the

acreage and that they separately agreed to become Karen’s guardians and care for her for

the rest of her life in exchange for a different property owned by Jennings (approximately

40 acres including the house).

{¶ 13} During cross-examination, George explained that Jennings offered to give

the Fooses the 25-acre parcel approximately three months prior to the transfer and that

nothing was requested or offered in return. He explained that he and Rita had been

aiding Jennings for several years and had intended to continue. He acknowledged that

nothing was in writing but at the time he believed that Jennings would not go back on her

word.

{¶ 14} George explained that he left a ladder in Jennings’ barn to use when he

replaced the shingles that blew off her roof. As to the mower, he sold it for $1200 and

gave Jennings $1000 because he invested money to repair it prior to sale.

{¶ 15} Rita agreed that Jennings’ 2018 estate plan left the farmhouse on 40 acres

and the remainer of her property to the Fooses. Jennings’ will requested that the probate

court appoint George as Karen’s guardian, with Rita as successor. Rita stated that they

5.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
2026 Ohio 1004, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mcdonald-v-foos-ohioctapp-2026.