Former state Rep. Jeff Pyle remembered as dedicated public servant
The late Republican state Rep. Jeff Pyle is being remembered as a dedicated servant of his hometown of Ford City in Armstrong County and a key player in creating Butler County Community College's new BC3 @ Armstrong campus at the site of the high school where he studied and taught.
Pyle, 58, died Wednesday following a 17-year battle with cancer.
Pyle was diagnosed with kidney cancer soon after taking his seat in the House to represent the 60th district in 2005. He continued to serve as he underwent treatment and made a complete recovery. After the cancer returned to his chest in 2018, he suffered a stroke in 2020 that forced him to resign from the House. The district includes communities in Armstrong, Butler and Indiana counties.
Before serving in the House, he was the mayor of Ford City and a teacher at Ford City Junior-Senior High School. The school on Fourth Avenue was demolished for the site to become the new home of BC3 @ Armstrong, which is scheduled to open by spring 2023.
One of his high school students, state Sen. Joe Pittman, R-41st, called him a mentor and a confidant.
“I consider him a dear friend,” Pittman said. “He was a very strong mentor to me, a confidant.”
He said his first introduction to Pyle was a little more than 20 years ago when he was a student in the social studies class that Pyle taught.
Growing concerned about drug dealers preying on his students, Pyle ran for and was elected mayor, Pittman said.
“That got him engaged, and he ran for office. He was very focused on supporting his community,” Pittman said.
Pittman was working as now-retired state Sen. Don White’s chief of staff when Pyle was elected to the House. After he was elected to replace White in 2019, Pittman briefly served with Pyle until he resigned.
Rep. Marci Mustello, R-11, said Pyle was proud to represent the people of his district.
“I would say his number one priority when he was under the dome of the Capital was his district and his constituents,” she said. “He had an uncanny ability to cut through the nonsense by making people laugh in tense situations. He was a larger-than-life character and will be sadly missed in Harrisburg.”
Successfully working with BC3 to build a new campus at the site of the high school to replace the existing campus, which opened in 2015 in Manor Township is his longest lasting legacy of his public service career, he said.
“That’s going to be the crown jewel of his legacy,” Pittman said.
BC3 President Nick Neupauer said Pyle was passionate about his hometown and advocated for the new campus.
“I don’t know that I’ve ever come across an individual who was so connected and so passionate about his or her community. Jeff Pyle was that person,” Neupauer said. “He loved his hometown of Ford City.”
He said Pyle played a major role in getting BC3 to build its expanded Armstrong County campus at the site of the high school.
“Jeff had a vision of bringing education back to that specific spot. It literally brought education to generations of families, immigrants and his own family. He went to Ford City High School; so did his mother and grandfather. That made it that much sweeter,” Neupaer said.
Pyle attended the Sept. 24, 2021, groundbreaking and gave an “impassioned speech,” Neupauer said. “It’s something I’ll never forget.”
He said he believes the new campus will help bring prosperity back to Ford City, which has experienced economic struggles due to job losses.
“Over time, things must change. BC3 offers that opportunity. Ford City has had some rough times. I think this is the beginning of the climb back,” Neupauer said.
Gov. Tom Wolf on Thursday ordered flags to half-staff at all government and public buildings and grounds.
