Former New York State Senator Joseph L. Bruno, who rose from an impoverished family into one of the most powerful state politicians, died Oct. 6. He was 91 and had been battling cancer in recent years, according to a family spokesperson.

Born into a large family with Italian immigrant parents in Glens Falls, young Joe Bruno worked several jobs, graduated from Skidmore College and went on to become a powerhouse advocate for Rensselaer County and the Albany region. Mr. Bruno was a state senator for nearly 32 years, from 1977 to 2008. During his last 13 years in office, he was majority leader.