Colorful former Pittsburgh Mayor Sophie Masloff died this morning

[alp227]

Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Sophie Masloff, a Pittsburgh icon who broke city political molds when she became the first woman and first Jewish mayor of the city, died at 8:55 a.m. today of natural causes.

Mrs. Masloff, 96, whose sphere of influence extended far beyond her tenure as mayor from 1988 to 1994, died at the Center for Compassionate Care in Mt. Lebanon, according to attorney and family spokesman Frederick N. Frank.

Current Mayor Bill Peduto ordered all flags in the city to be flown at half-staff in honor of the city's 56th mayor.

Known as much for her colorful aphorisms and self-deprecating humor as her perfectly coiffed hair and humorous malapropisms, Mrs. Masloff -- who had been serving as City Council president -- ascended to the mayor’s office after Richard S. Caliguiri died of a rare disease at the age of 56.



Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2014/08/17/Former-Pittsburgh-mayor-Sophie-Masloff-dies-overnight/stories/201408170203

[TwilightGardener]

1. Good old Sophie Masloff. It was like having your grandma as mayor.

[Divernan]

2. A dear friend of mine was Sophie's dear friend & secretary in the Mayor's office

She told me what a soft touch Sophie was for people in trouble who came to see her - often having my friend bring Sophie's personal checkbook in so Sophie could give them money. She was one of a kind, for sure. Check out cartoonist Rob Rogers tribute cartoon about her.

https://www.facebook.com/robrogerscartoons?fref=tl_fr_box

[shenmue]

3. Rest in peace

[bigwillq]

4. RIP (nt)

[MrMickeysMom]

5. I didn't live in Pbg area when she was mayor, but...

… wish I did.

What a wonderful mayor. A tear for those near and dear to her time with us.