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Patricia Rommel Shuster, mother of Rep. Bill Shuster, R-9th District, and the wife of former congressman Bud Shuster, died Wednesday, according to an obituary.
Shuster, of Everett, was 84. She died after a brief period in hospice care.
See obituary on Page A7.
Born Patricia Rommel in Allegheny County, she married Bud Shuster in 1955 and remained at his side through a decades-long political career. Her husband stepped down in 2001, citing his and his wife’s health concerns.
After her husband left office, her son – Bill Shuster – took the 9th District seat, which he still holds.
Patricia Shuster had worked in the atomic power division of Westinghouse Electric Corp., according to her obituary, and she served for decades on several area boards and clubs.
“She was a real pillar of strength for her family,” said the Rev. Bob Robertson of Everett’s First Christian Church, where the Shusters worshipped. “Because she was able to be supportive, they were able to support the community.”
Local Republican figures offered condolences and marked her legacy Thursday.
“By all accounts, Patty Shuster was an inspiration to her family, her community and all who knew her,” A.C. Stickel, former Blair County GOP chairman, wrote in a Facebook post.
In a written statement, Bedford County Republican Committee Chairman Gilbert Verdiglione offered condolences on the party’s behalf.
“The Shuster family has served the Bedford County community for decades, and I ask that everyone join us in prayer for the family as they mourn the loss of Pat,” he wrote.
Mirror Staff Writer Ryan Brown is at 946-7457.