Justin D. Jirolanio

Jirolanio was born on May 5, 1904, in New York City to Joseph Jirolanio and Philomena Née Dallesandro. He attended the Bethlehem high school before transferring to the Perkiomen School and graduating in 1923. During high school he worked as a laborer and helped construct the Hill-to-Hill Bridge. He attended Franklin and Marshall College graduating with a Bachelor of Science as part of their class of 1929. He then attended the Temple University Beasley School of Law but had to drop out due to the Great Depression. Jirolanio originally worked as an apprentice Mechanic, machinist, and silk weaver for the Bethlehem Steel Company before opening a law office in 1934.[1][2][3]

Jirolanio was elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives as a Democrat in 1936, being sworn in on December 1, 1936, and serving until 1940. During his time in the house, he was a member of the committee to investigate the Bureau of Aeronautics. He then served as the Assistant District Attorney of Northampton County from 1940 to 1944. He would unsuccessfully campaign for District Attorney three different times, first in 1943, secondly in 1951 and lastly in 1955. He was elected chairman of the Bethlehem Democratic City Committee from 1963 to 1972. Jirolanio was elected to the Pennsylvania Senate to represent the 18th district from 1963 to 1968 following a special election due to the death of Gus P. Verona. He served as a delegate to Pennsylvania's Constitutional Convention in 1967 to 1968. And he served as the Chairman of the Northampton County Democratic Party from 1972 to 1980.[1][2][3]

Justin Jirolanio was a member of the United Church of Christ. He married Dorothy E. Née Fawber and together they had a daughter, Harrison W. Wright. He had a brother, Achille Jirolanio, and three sisters Edith Sebastian, Beatrice Cellec and Mary Kovach. Justin died at the St. Luke's University Health Network on October 25, 1984, aged 80. He was buried at the Memorial Park Cemetery in Bethlehem.[3]