UPDATED: Services Set For Former U.S. Rep. Frank Mascara

Services have been set for former U.S. Rep. Frank Mascara, who died Sunday in Mon Valley Hospital from cancer.

He was 81.

Visitation will be held from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday at the Carl J. Spallino Funeral Home in Charleroi. Services for Mr. Mascara will be held at 10 a.m. at the Mary, Mother of Church in Charleroi. Interment will be in Sacred Heart Cemetery in Fallowfield Township.

Obituary information was not immediately available.

“He was a hard-working man. He literally came from the people,” Washington County Commissioner Larry Maggi said Sunday afternoon. “He came up through the tough times and was a good public servant.”

Mr. Mascara's 20th congressional district encompassed most of Washington and Greene counties before it was dissolved following the 2000 census.

Calling him the “father of Southpointe,” Maggi said Mr. Mascara was a “visionary leader” for Washington County during his tenure as commissioner—adding that many of the policies he spearheaded are still being implemented today.

And despite the tragedy in his life—including the recent death of his son, the late Judge Mark Mascara—he “always did what he had to do—he always did the right thing.”

And personally, Maggi said the late congressman was “always polite—always a gentleman.”

Which didn’t mean he couldn’t be forceful when he had to be.

“He grew up in Charleroi,” Maggi said. “He was a hard scrapper.”

Later Sunday, U.S. Rep. Tim Murphy, R-Upper St. Clair, gave the following statement:

“My deepest condolences go out to the family and friends of Frank Mascara. While his longtime service to Southwestern Pennsylvania and Washington County in particular will be greatly missed, his legacy as county controller, commissioner and congressman will live on. Frank was the driving force behind developing Southpointe for commercial and business growth. And as leader on local transportation issues, including spearheading the development of the Mon Valley Expressway, Washington County residents know his commitment to the area was deeply rooted in true public service to his constituency. The Mascara family remains in our thoughts and prayers.”

Check back with Peters Patch for updates.