The West Mifflin community is saddened by the death of long-time school board member John Donis over the weekend.
Colleagues of Donis said they were shocked to hear he died of a heart attack early Saturday after being admitted to an area hospital.
Donis, 71, had been a member of the West Mifflin Area school board since 1997.
Those who knew him in that capacity described him as dedicated, and said he always put the educational interests of students first and wanted to do what was right for parents and the district as a whole.
Donis had attended a school board work session Thursday evening and met with district superintendent Janet Sardon and other school officials for a luncheon Friday to discuss progress on the district's new middle school, which is under construction.
"John was head of the building committee," Sardon said, recalling that Donis was someone who often had suggestions on ways to lower costs and improve various school projects.
She said he took his role as a school board member seriously and was actively engaged in the community, attending PTA meetings and visiting all the district's schools on a regular basis.
"He always kept in mind what was in the best interest for the children," Sardon said.
Due to Donis' death, the school district canceled a meeting it had scheduled for Monday and rescheduled it for Oct. 25.
At that meeting it is anticipated the school board will vote in favor of continuing to educate Duquesne high school students even though a Supreme Court ruling earlier this month said the reassignment of Duquesne students to West Mifflin Area and East Allegheny school districts in 2007 was unconstitutional.
School board member Ned Mervos said Donis was "level-headed" and "always careful about the finances."
"He made sure the I's were dotted and the T's were crossed," Mervos said.
Though he was dedicated to watching the bottom line, Mervos said of Donis, "His whole career was about helping people."
Donis worked for the Allegheny County Controllers Office and was a member of the West Mifflin Lions Club and chairman of the West Mifflin Democratic Committee. Mervos said Donis wasn't shy about calling on his influential friends when it came to school district matters and that his connections were helpful to the district when it came to procuring grants.
County Executive Dan Onorato, responding to Donis' death in a prepared statement, said:
"I had the pleasure of working with John Donis as both county controller and county executive. John was a consummate professional who served the people of Allegheny County and the West Mifflin Area School District with distinction and honor. We have lost a great public servant and friend."
Colleagues remembered Donis as being dedicated to his wife Therese (Miklusko) Donis, their four children and nine grandchildren.
Donis also was recording secretary of Homeville Volunteer Fire Co. No. 1. Homeville VFC Chief Dave Martin said that, in addition to being someone who always looked out for the fire station's financial well-being, Donis also had a way of easing the tensions at the department when members had differences of opinion on department affairs.
"We'd get in arguments on the floor and he'd say something just to break up the (bickering) routine," Martin said.
The viewing for Donis continues today from 2-8 p.m. at William Slater II Funeral Service, Greentree Road in Scott Township. Funeral Mass is Wednesday at 11 a.m. at Resurrection Church in West Mifflin.
Martin said firefighters from Homeville and Steel Valley area fire departments will honor Donis by driving two trucks in the funeral procession, and will hold a prayer service at the funeral home.
