By KATHY MELLOTT
The man viewed by many as the backbone of the Democratic Party in Cambria County died suddenly Saturday morning.
Bill Joseph, 80, was at a pre-election breakfast rally at Pyramid’s Lounge when, seconds after giving a roaring introduction for state Supreme Court candidate Seamus McCaffery, he collapsed and died.
“Judge McCaffery walked around in front of the table to talk to the people and ... Bill collapsed,” said Ed Cernic Sr., who is active in local politics.
Cernic once was a longtime foe of Joseph but had became closer with the county chairman in recent years.
Joseph, who buried his wife, Helen, two months ago today, had few health complaints and no known heart problems, said his son, Norman, who spoke from his father’s home in Franklin.
“He died with his boots on,” Norman Joseph said. “He was giving them a hell of a speech, sat down and collapsed. It was pretty sudden, pretty quick.”
An obituary will appear in Monday’s Tribune-Democrat.
Joseph, who was active in the Democratic party throughout his adult life, succeeded John Torquato as chairman in 1978.
Word of Joseph’s death spread quickly among area Democrats, and the news came as a shock to those who knew him.
“Bill Joseph was a good friend. I’ve known him for 30 years, and it’s ironic he died doing the thing he loved most – politics,” said U.S. Rep. John Murtha, D-Johnstown.
Some said he was from the old school, making the party a top priority. Many said he never let them down.
“The one thing that distinguished Bill Joseph was his sense of duty to this state and his party,” said Mark Singel, a former lieutenant governor and Johnstown resident.
“He was a man who understood the concept of duty, and he was absolutely loyal.”
McCaffery, who had known Joseph for 10 years, said he did much to put Cambria County on the map for other Democrats across the state.
“He was a class act. When you thought of Joseph, you thought of Cambria County,” he said.
Longtime friend Mitch Azar said mutual acquaintances mentioned that Joseph had complained of chest pains last weekend, but it didn’t appear to be a concern.
“Bill was part of my wedding party in 1957. We did a lot of things together; I was like his right-hand man,” Azar said.
Another longtime friend, former Johnstown city Councilman Benny Britt, said Joseph was “a beautiful man who would give you the shirt off his back.”
State Sen. John Wozniak, D-Westmont, said Joseph threw his support behind Wozniak nearly three decades ago and never wavered.
“He was with me from ground zero,” Wozniak said. “He helped me get where I am today.”
Cambria Commissioner P.J Stevens described Joseph as having “a man with a big bite, but with a big heart.”
Fred Smith, Cambria County director of elections, said Joseph spent a lot of time in his office picking up street lists and sample ballots.
“He was the backbone of the party. He was an organizer,” Smith said. “He was enthusiastic when it came to getting Democrats elected in Cambria County.”
