“Take a look over there,” he said at the ceremonial groundbreaking for BC3 @ Armstrong in Ford City nearly one year ago.
“You can’t see it right now, but that’s opportunity. That’s a chance for our young people to better themselves.”
He talked about the importance of education.
He talked about his love for the borough, where he had served as mayor.
He talked about how the BC3 @ Armstrong facility would be built on the very site where he, his mother and his grandfather attended the former Ford City High School.
Sadly, that speaker, the person most responsible for helping to create BC3 @ Armstrong in Ford City, passed away Wednesday in the hometown he loved so dearly.
Former state Rep. Jeff Pyle died after a long battle with cancer.
Jeff served more than 16 years as a state representative and was instrumental in securing a $1.75 million state Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grant toward construction of our facility.
The 15,000-square foot, state-of-the-art BC3 @ Armstrong in Ford City will educate students where Jeff once taught American government and history.
“Over time, things must change,” Jeff said at the groundbreaking. “BC3 offers that opportunity. Ford City has some rough times. I think this is the beginning of the climb back.”
He worked with state Sen. Joe Pittman, another BC3 supporter, in securing the state Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grant.
Rep. Pyle was an extremely hard worker who took great pride not only in his work, Sen. Pittman told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, but in the work ethic of his family and of those he represented.
I could not have said it better.
My personal dealings with Jeff always focused on family, his district and BC3. I would call his office to arrange to have him meet our students in the Capitol when we traveled to Harrisburg. Jeff made each student feel important. It was genuine.
Perhaps most remarkable is that Jeff never felt sorry for himself during his battle with cancer.
Never.
He always highlighted the positive and referenced “keeping up the good fight.”
Rest easy, dear servant.
And know we will keep your legacy alive and well at BC3 @ Armstrong.
