Politics & Government

Former Congressman Frank Mascara Dies

"Father of Southpointe" remembered as a hardworking, hard-scrapping public servant.

Former U.S. Rep. Frank Mascara has died.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that the former Washington County controller, commissioner and later congressman, died Sunday in Mon Valley Hospital from cancer. He was 81.

“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.”

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

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.”

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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.”

This story originally appeared on Canon-Mac Patch


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