Biography

04/14/1930 - 12/16/2021

George William Gekas (R15) Dauphin and Lebanon (part) Counties 1977-1981

Early Life: 

George William Gekas, born April 14, 1930, Harrisburg, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania; son of William and Mary Touloumes Gekas; William Penn High School, 1948; Dickinson College, B.A., 1952; Dickinson School of Law, J.D., 1958; served, United States Army (1953-1955); attorney; assistant district attorney, Dauphin County 1960-1966; elected, Republican, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, 1967-1974; unsuccessful campaign for reelection, 1974; elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate 1977-1982; appointed, Pennsylvania Commission on Sentencing (1979-1982); appointed, Pennsylvania Emergency Management Authority 1981-1982; elected, Republican, United States Congress 1983-2003; appointed, manager, Congressional Impeachment proceedings of Judge Alcee Lamar Hastings (1988); appointed, manager, Congressional Impeachment proceedings of President William Clinton (1998); unsuccessful campaign for reelection to Congress (2002); married, Evangeline “Vangie” Charas-Gekas; died, December 16, 2021, Harrisburg, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania; interment, full military honors, Paxtang Cemetery, Paxtang, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.

Early Career:

Served, United States Army (1953-1955); attorney; assistant district attorney, Dauphin County 1960-1966.

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

Member, Greek Orthodox Holy Trinity Cathedral, Camp Hill, Pennsylvania; member, fraternity Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Pennsylvania Bar Association, Dauphin County Bar Association, Camp Curtin Historical Society, Christian Churches Council, Police Athletic League, Hershey Racket Club.

Pennsylvania Politics:

Elected, Republican, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, 1967-1974; unsuccessful campaign for reelection, 1974; upset by future Harrisburg mayor Steven Reed.

Elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 15^th district, Dauphin and Lebanon (part) Counties, 1977- resigned December 31, 1981; appointed, Pennsylvania Commission on Sentencing (1979-1982); appointed, Pennsylvania Emergency Management Authority 1981-1982; Chair, Judiciary Committee, vice chair, Law and Justice Committee, member Aging and Youth, State Government and Urban Affairs and Housing Committees.  

Continued Government Service/National Politics:

Elected, Republican, 98^th-107^th, United States Congresses, 1983-2003; appointed, manager, Congressional Impeachment proceedings of Judge Alcee Lamar Hastings, 1988; appointed, manager, Congressional Impeachment proceedings of President William Clinton, 1998; unsuccessful campaign for reelection to Congress (2002); Chairman, Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Control and Claims; Chairman, House Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law; member, House Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law; House Committee on Agriculture and Specialty Crop Subcommittee.

Pennsylvania House of Representatives Biography:

https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/BiosHistory/MemBio.cfm?ID=530&body=H

Cited: 

Ackley, Gail (Ed.). (1980-1981). The Pennsylvania manual, 105. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, p. 68 and 89.