Whether beloved or reviled, one should not minimize the positive impact that U.S. Rep. John Murtha had on the Johnstown area and the 12th Congressional District. Murtha, 77, died Monday in a Virginia hospital of complications from gallbladder surgery. His death came as a shock, despite earlier reports of Murtha being hospitalized in intensive care. Many assumed this was just a temporary setback and Murtha would be back on the job soon. Instead, many now are in mourning and worried about what’s ahead. Over 36 years as a U.S. representative, Murtha fought to improve the lives of people in his district hit hard by a decline in mining and steel production. The Johnstown Democrat was instrumental in securing funding for a national heritage area to promote tourism in the region, in getting the National Drug Intelligence Center based in Johnstown and in getting defense contractors to set up operations in the region, creating a lot of jobs.