Former Centre County commissioner, lifelong public servant Sue Mascolo remembered

The first time former Centre County Commissioner Keith Bierly met Sue Mascolo, she was director of the Bellefonte Senior Center, but he remembers thinking that she’d go on to do many other things.

He couldn’t have predicted how many roles Mascolo, who died Wednesday in State College at 82, would go on to have in public service.

She worked as a legislative aide for former state Rep. Lynn Herman in the early ‘90s before being elected to the Centre County Board of Commissioners herself. She was also involved with the MidState Consortium, Board of Elections, Private Industry Council, Centre Region Parks and Recreation and State College Area Women’s Club.

“I think it was the first time I met Sue in 1987, she had candidates at the Bellefonte Senior Center to speak and talk to seniors,” Bierly said Friday. “I just was impressed with her warmth and social grace. I thought, ‘She’s going to be doing something other than being the director of the senior center.’ ”

At the time of her death, Mascolo worked part time with state Rep. Scott Conklin, D-Rush Township, as a legislative aide and senior citizens advocate.

In a statement Thursday, Conklin called her a longtime friend.

“Throughout her life she had the opportunity to interact with thousands of Centre County residents through her work in state and local government,” he said. “She was a passionate and dedicated advocate for the Centre Region, one who cared intensely about the well-being of its people and its communities. She will be deeply missed.”

Herman said he also became close friends with Mascolo and her husband, Richard, during the three years that she worked as his legislative aide.

“Sue always impressed me because of her expertise, especially working with senior citizens,” Herman said.

During her term as a Centre County commissioner, 1996-2000, Mascolo served with Bierly and Vicki Wedler. Wedler and Mascolo were chairwoman and vice chairwoman, respectively.

“Sue was a great colleague and a great friend as well,” Wedler said. “She made my job easy because she was such a caring, compassionate and understanding person and she really cared about the citizens of the county.”

Bierly noted “historic votes” cast with Mascolo, including those on a full-time district attorney in the county and the occupational assessment tax.

“The thing that I’ve always judged elected officials by is whether or not they were intellectually honest,” Bierly said. “She was an honest elected official who had a great deal of integrity.”

According to her obituary, Mascolo was a member of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in State College and she enjoyed gardening, spending time at the beach, classical music and volunteering her time to projects that benefited the community. Visitation will take place from 2-5 p.m. Sunday at Koch Funeral Home and from 10-11 a.m. Monday at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church.

A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Monday at St. Paul’s.