Preceded by Elmer Holland Political party Democratic Resigned January 3, 1993 Succeeded by Edward Zemprelli Party Democratic Party | Preceded by Leonard Staisey Role U.S. representative Succeeded by Austin Murphy Name Joseph Gaydos | |
 | ||
Full Name Joseph Matthew Gaydos Born July 3, 1926
Braddock, Pennsylvania, U.S. ( 1926-07-03 ) Spouse(s) Alice Ann Gaydos (nee Gray; died March 19, 2001) Died February 7, 2015, Elizabeth Township, Pennsylvania, United States Education University of Notre Dame, Duquesne University | ||
Joseph Matthew Gaydos (July 3, 1926 – February 7, 2015) was a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania. Gaydos was the first Slovak American to serve in the United States Congress.
Gaydos was born in Braddock, Pennsylvania. His father was born in what is known today as Slovakia.
He attended Duquesne University and graduated from the University of Notre Dame Law School in 1951. He served during World War II in the Pacific theater with the United States Navy Reserve, 1944–1946. He served in the Pennsylvania State Senate from 1967 to 1968. He served as Deputy Attorney General of Pennsylvania, Assistant Solicitor of Allegheny County, and general counsel to United Mine Workers of America, district five.
He was elected simultaneously as a Democrat to the 90th and to the 91st Congress, by special election, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of United States Representative Elmer Holland. He was not a candidate for renomination in 1992. He died on February 7, 2015, aged 88.