State Rep. Anthony M. “Tony” DeLuca (D-Penn Hills), the senior member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, died on Sunday, Oct. 9 at home after a brief battle with lymphoma, a disease he twice previously beat.  He was 85. For 39 years DeLuca represented the 32nd Legislative District, comprised of Penn Hills, Verona, the majority of Plum Borough and now, in the most recent legislative redistricting, the Borough of Oakmont.

For more than 20 years DeLuca served as Democratic Chairman of the House Insurance Committee. In Harrisburg, his passion was to serve as a patient advocate with insurance companies, to ensure medical professional accountability, and to guarantee patient safety in all areas of medicine including pharmacies.