One of Southwestern Pennsylvania's great old-timers has finished the race.Sam Amorose of Canonsburg, PA, died Sunday, September 30, at the age of 91. He was a union leader, political activist and World War II veteran.
I came to know Sam in the late 1990s when I was a staff writer at the Observer-Reporter in Washington, PA. I wrote a profile of him for the O-R's front page and covered his lobbying efforts with the United Labor Committee of Washington County. Our paths continued to cross after I entered politics.
It's probably fitting that Sam died in the midst of a heated presidential race. He loved politics at all levels of government. Sam was a strong Democrat but he never gave a pass to an official or candidate of any party who was neglected the interests of working people, veterans and senior citizens.
If just 10 percent of the American people became 10 percent as politically aware and active as Sam was his entire life, we would have a radically different (and probably better) country.
This Christmas, I will miss my annual card from Sam. May he rest in peace.
