Biography

05/11/1925 - 12/04/2017

Edward P. Zemprelli (D45) Allegheny (Part) County 1969-1972 (D45) Allegheny (Part), Westmoreland (Part) Counties 1973-1982 (D45) Allegheny (Part), Washington (Part), Westmoreland (Part) Counties 1983-1988

Early Life:

Edward P. Zemprelli, born May 11, 1925, Clairton, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania; son of John and Maria Mercurio Pelegrini Tomaselli Zemprelli; public school education; Penn State College of the Liberal Arts, Bachelor of Arts; Commerce and Finance, 1945; University of Pittsburgh, Juris Doctor, 1949; admitted Pennsylvania bar, 1950; private law practice; elected, Solicitor, City of Clairton, 1952-1960; elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, 1963-1968; married, Margaret “Marge” Antoinette Antonietta Zemprelli; daughter, Carla Zemprelli Corum; elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1969-1988; Senate Majority Leader, 1979-1980; Senate Democratic Floor Leader, 1981-1988; died, December 4, 2017 (age 92), Jupiter, Palm Beach County, Florida; internment, Jefferson Memorial Park, Pleasant Hills, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.

Early Career:

Established, private law practice, located in his home, Clairton, Pennsylvania.

Professional titles; business ownership; board memberships; local government; club memberships:

Gubernational appointee, Penn State Board of Trustees, 1978-1996; Trustee Emeritus, Penn State Board of Trustees, 1997; trustee, University of Pittsburgh; distinguished alumnus, University of Pittsburgh, 1988. Trust officer, Lincoln Bank and Trust Company.

Member, Clairton Public Library Board of Trustees; 4th Degree Knight, Knights of Columbus; member, Sons of Columbus; member, Italian Sons and Daughters of America; member, Clairton Sportsmen’s Club.

Awards:

Conference of State Legislators’ Distinguished Legislative Leader Award, 1988.

Pennsylvania Politics:

Elected, Solicitor, City of Clairton, 1952-1960.

Chair, Clairton Democratic Committee.

Elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, 1963-1968.

Elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania State Senate, 45th district, Allegheny (Part) County 1969-1972, Democrat, Pennsylvania State Senate, 45th district, Allegheny (Part), Westmoreland (Part) Counties 1973-1982, Democrat, Pennsylvania State Senate, 45th district, Allegheny (Part), Washington (Part), Westmoreland (Part) Counties 1983-1988, Senate Majority Leader, 1979-1980; Senate Democratic Floor Leader, 1981-1988; committee assignments, Rules and Executive Nominations (minority chair), Urban Housing and Development.

Appointed, Pennsylvania Commission on Interstate Cooperation, 1971-1980 (chair, 1979-1980); appointed, Joint State Government Commission, 1979-1988; appointed, Pennsylvania Higher Educational Facilities Authority, 1981-1988; appointed, State Public School Building Authority, 1981-1988; appointed Pennsylvania MILRITE (Make Industry and Labor Right in Today’s Economy) Council, 1981-1982.

Pennsylvania House Archives Biography:

Official Website - PA House Archives Official Website (state.pa.us)

Legacy:

Active, Penn State community, from his college years as a first-down chain worker at football games up to his confirmation as Trustee Emeritus, 1997.

Cited:

Cox, Harold. Senate Members "Z" (wilkes.edu). Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University.

Doukas, Ozzie (Editor). (1987). The Pennsylvania Manual,(vol. 108). Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, pages 90, 99-100.

The Pennsylvania State University. “2004 Distinguished Alumni Awards Ceremony Excerpt.” Accessed November 28, 2022. Penn State Alumni Association - Website Search (psu.edu)

Bekavac Funeral Home and Crematory. “Edward P. Zemprelli, Esq.” Accessed November 28, 2022. 

https://www.bekavacfuneralhome.com/notices/Edward-ZemprelliEsq

The Pennsylvania State University. “Trustee emeritus Edward Zemprelli dies.” Last modified January 23, 2018. 

Trustee emeritus Edward Zemprelli dies | Penn State University (psu.edu)

Edward P. Zemprelli (1925-2017) - Find a Grave Memorial