Pasquale V. DeBlasio

1936 - 2021

Pasquale Vincent DeBlasio was born and raised in Hazelwood, Pa., the son of Patsy and Narcey DeBlasio. He grew up the third of five children in a loving, first-generation Italian immigrant household with his family sharing traditions of both worlds. His father worked for 38 years at J&L Steel. Pat treasured the company watch that his father passed onto him as a reminder of the values he grew up with. Those values of service, family and overcoming adversity were at the core of who Pat was. In his youth, he was educated at St. Stevens Parish in Hazelwood and found himself facing adversity in the form of rheumatic heart fever at the young age of 11. At that time, rheumatic heart fever was a primary cause of early heart failure and Pat was given a life expectancy of his early forties. From there on out, he chose to live his life as if it were on borrowed time. In 1959, Pat graduated from Duquesne University and began teaching at Point Park, where he met Janet Cichinelli, a CPA and fellow accounting instructor. The two married in December 1962 and he joined her accounting practice. In 1966, Pat became a member of the founding faculty of the newly created Community College of Allegheny County. He earned his master's degree in business administration from Duquesne in 1967, and under Janet's supervision, became a CPA. Pat remained a professor of accounting at The Community College of Allegheny County until he retired in 1998. Even though Pat was a full-time accounting professor, partner in a family accounting practice and father of four boys, he still felt the call to contribute to his community, adding service leader to his repertoire. He became a Cubmaster, a lector at St. Agatha's Church and as a founding member of the Bridgeville Community Association, he led the Bridgeville Borough celebrations for the U.S. Bicentennial in 1976. He went on to serve as the Mayor of Bridgeville from 1978-1986. As mayor, he led Bridgeville and other municipalities in founding the Char-West Council of governments serving as its first president. To this day, The Char-West Council of Governments continues to provide services to local municipalities. Pat continued to follow his passion for serving the community in various capacities including serving on the Bridgeville Planning Commission and board of the Southbridge Emergency Services. Pat outlived his expiration date many times. As he would say, "medical technology somehow seems to stay a heartbeat ahead of me." When he arrived at his first expiration date in his early, forties his damaged heart was well into congestive failure. At this time, new procedures to replace damaged heart valves with porcine valves became available, which Dr. Spanky Lewis, who trained under Pat's original cardiologist, Dr. Frank Gregg, performed in 1978. A second set of valves came in 1998. Finally, in January of 2005, at the age of 68, (almost 30 years past his initial "expiration date"), Dr. Dennis McNamara and the late Dr. Brack Hattler took a chance on a new but slightly damaged heart through the generosity of organ donation. With this, Pat was given a new lease on life. Pat was eternally grateful for all of the doctors, nurses and caring support personnel at UPMC who were a critical part of his care. A member of the Duquesne Red Masquers during his college days, he was a hopeless romantic with a penchant for love stories and Broadway musicals, often encouraging his sons to show affection and love in their lives. He and Janet gave their four boys plenty of freedom to find their own paths, believing that if they gave them love and good values, that they would eventually find their way. The family spent summer vacations at the Deer Valley YMCA Camp in Ft. Hill, Pa. These Deer Valley experiences left a lasting impression on the family, and to this day they start their meals with songs that they learned at camp. Pat enjoyed co-hosting the annual "Uncles Fishing Trip" to Canada with his brothers-in-law and lifetime partners in crime, Ron Peters and Tom Skelly. These trips grew to include their sons and grandchildren as well. No matter where in the world he was, he drew others in with his gregarious laugh and insatiable curiosity that kept all he met feeling both connected and engaged. Pat is survived by his wife of 58 years, Janet Cichinelli DeBlasio, his sister, Elizabeth Ann Peters (Ron), and brother, Roger (Dorothy), four sons, Pasquale, Mario (Linda), Gian (Heather) and Franco (Mary Jo), their seven grandchildren, Blake (Oksana), Juliana (Christopher) Scorsone, Geno, Sarah Elizabeth, Jack, Vincent, Anthony, and their first great-grandchild, Vincent M. Scorsone, as well as many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his mother, Narcey, and his father Patsy, his sisters, Jeanne (Tom) and Mary Stella, who died as a child. Pat made joy from our sorrows all the way to the end, passing peacefully at home surrounded by his wife, children and grandchildren. Visitation will be from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, March 4, and Friday, March 5, at BEINHAUER-FRYER FUNERAL HOME, 430 Washington Pike, Bridgeville, PA 15017, 412-221-3800. The funeral Mass is to be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 6, 2021, in Holy Child Catholic Church, 212 Station St., Bridgeville, PA 15017. There will be a reception immediately following the Mass for friends and family. The family requests that any remembrances for Pat's life be made in the form of tax-deductible charitable donation to South Bridge Emergency Medical Services. For those who may not be able to attend the funeral Mass for Pasquale Vincent DeBlasio in person, please visit https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81786277687.