Death of longtime Democratic leader Theis will loom over primary day

Even though key races, such as Pennsylvania’s governorship and one of its U.S. Senate seats will be up for grabs in Tuesday’s primary, in Erie it won’t feel quite the same.

That’s because longtime Democratic leader Jean Theis died May 9 at 97. Almost until the day she died, Theis remained a major figure in the party here and across the state. She was a throwback in the sense that, even though she was a diehard Democrat, she had so many friends from across the political spectrum. And she always had the best interest of Erie and Pennsylvania at heart.

Obituary:Jean Marie Theis

Every year on her birthday, Jean would hold court at the Plymouth Tavern as friends in politics joined her to raise a toast to the health of local and national government. Democrats from Sen. Bob Casey, if he was in the region, down to the local dogcatcher would join dozens of politicians who would stop by Jean’s table to wish her well.

She was a delightful person, a great wife, mother and grandmother, who always flashed a winning smile as she urged everyone to “Be sure to get out and vote.” And she meant it, especially if you were a Democrat.

• U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly raised a few eyebrows on May 6 at a rally at the Westmoreland (County) Fairgrounds in Mt. Pleasant Township where former President Donald Trump endorsed Mehmet Oz. According to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Kelly focused sections of his speech heaping praise on the former president, saying there would be no war in Ukraine if Trump was still president.

• Ronnie Allen, one of Presque Isle Downs’ leading jockeys, recently steered a horse into the winner’s circle at Tampa Bay Downs, marking an impressive comeback after the serious fall he took at the Erie track on Oct. 19. The 58-year-old Allen broke five ribs, suffered a collapsed lung, dislocated his clavicle joint, and tore ligaments in his left shoulder.

Allen spent the next five months recuperating before he began galloping horses in Florida in March. In addition to the solid record he compiled at Presque Isle Downs, Allen was the leading rider in four seasons at Tampa Bay Downs. He’s closing in on 4,000 career wins, and his fans in Erie hope he returns here soon.

Horse-racing:Presque Isle Downs returns to 100-day meet with earlier post time

•The recent death of former NBA star center Bob Lanier at 73 brought back memories of the close friendship he enjoyed with former Mercyhurst University basketball coach Billy Kalbaugh. The two starred on St. Bonaventure’s great team that advanced to the NCAA Final Four in 1970. Kalbaugh and Bona head coach Larry Weise always maintained that if Lanier hadn’t torn up his knee right before the title game, St. Bonaventure would have won the national championship.

• You can see a lot of beautiful smiles on Erie faces these days, thanks to the skills of Jack Utley, who died recently at age 80. Utley was a skilled orthodontist and an amazing athlete who twice completed the Hawaii Ironman, as well as starring every year in the local QUAD Games.

Obituary:Jack Denton Utley, Jr., D.M.D.

Utley was a pilot, a deep-sea fisherman, a skilled golfer who took up the game late in life, and he had scores of friends and admirers. He was a terrific guy who will be missed.

• Veteran Erie actor Ray Flynt is starring May 20-22 at PACA in “Ben Franklin: An Ingenious Life,” a play he wrote. Flynt is an award-winning author who appeared for years on stages around town. His timing for this show seems most opportune, as Ken Burns’ recent film on Franklin cast a fresh light on the founding father.

• The contest to rename Mercyhurst North East is over, and I will be interested in the name that is chosen when it is announced at a community event this summer. Ehrenfeld Companies, which recently acquired the property, pledged to revitalize the campus, making sure it remains a centerpiece in the North East community.

Mercyhurst bought the former St. Mary Seminary in 1991.

The deal:Mercyhurst North East campus sold to Baltimore-based owner of S.P.I.R.E. Institute

• Erie County Judge Dan Brabender was one of many at the recent Bar Association luncheon who was impressed by Amanda Knox’s speech. She spent four years in an Italian prison after being accused in a grisly murder there. “The scars of the ordeal on Amanda and her family run deep,” Brabender said. “What a powerful story she shares.”

More:Exonerated Amanda Knox speaks at Erie County Bar Association's Law Day Luncheon

• Former Edinboro University student and Meadville resident Sharon Stone is working on a film with Pierce Brosnan that’s scheduled to be released in 2023. The 64-year-old Stone also stars in three episodes of the second season of “The Flight Attendant,” on HBO Max which will debut later this year. Stone might not be the megastar she once was, but she never seems to hurt for work.

• Len Kolakowski, who died May 3 at 99, ranked among Erie’s all-time greatest athletes. He was a terrific baseball player whose career was interrupted by World War II, during which Len served heroically at Pearl Harbor.

Obituary:Leonard J. Kolakowski

From the Archive:One sweet guy: 93-year-old Erie man loves to make candy

After the war, he played in the St. Louis Browns organization before switching to a touring national fastpitch softball team. In his later years, he was an excellent bowler and golfer who often shot lower than his age. Best of all, he was a delightful guy.

Kevin Cuneo can be reached at kevin.cuneo1844@gmail.com.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Death of longtime Democratic leader Theis will loom over primary day