Joseph M. Gaydos

Joseph M. Gaydos
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's 20th district
In office November 5, 1968 – January 3, 1993
Preceded by	Elmer Holland
Succeeded by	Austin Murphy
Member of the Pennsylvania Senate from the 45th district
In office January 2, 1967 – November 5, 1968[1]
Preceded by	Leonard Staisey
Succeeded by	Edward Zemprelli
Personal details
Born	Joseph Matthew Gaydos July 3, 1926 Braddock, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Died	February 7, 2015 (aged 88) Elizabeth Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Alice Ann Gaydos (née Gray; died March 19, 2001)
Religion	Roman Catholic

Joseph Matthew Gaydos (July 3, 1926 – February 7, 2015) was a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania. Gaydos was the first Slovak American to serve in the United States Congress.^[2]

Gaydos was born in Braddock, Pennsylvania. His Hungarian father was born in Northern Hungary which today is Slovakia after it was annexed by Czechoslovakia following World War I and the Treaty of Trianon.^[3]

He attended Duquesne University and graduated from the University of Notre Dame Law School in 1951. He served during World War II in the Pacific theater with the United States Navy Reserve, 1944–1946. He served in the Pennsylvania State Senate from 1967 to 1968.^[4] He served as Deputy Attorney General of Pennsylvania, Assistant Solicitor of Allegheny County, and general counsel to United Mine Workers of America, district five.

He was elected simultaneously as a Democrat to the 90th and to the 91st Congress, by special election, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of United States Representative Elmer Holland. He was not a candidate for renomination in 1992. He died on February 7, 2015, aged 88.^[5][6]

References

1. Cox, Harold (2004). "Pennsylvania Senate - 1967-1968" (PDF). Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University.
2. Fedor, Helen. "The Slovaks in America". loc.gov. Retrieved April 12, 2013.
3. Cultural Contributions of Americans with Roots in Slovakia, svu2000.org; accessed March 2, 2015.
4. Cox, Harold. "Senate Members "G"". Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University.
5. Obituary-Joseph M. Gaydos, legacy.com; accessed March 1, 2015.
6. Natasha Lindstrom (February 9, 2015). "Legislator's history turned focus to workers' rights". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Retrieved February 17, 2015.

Sources

• United States Congress. "Joseph M. Gaydos (id: G000105)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.; retrieved March 1, 2015