FORMER LEGISLATOR DIES — Jack Cera, who represented our region in the Ohio House of Representatives, died Sunday at the age of 69. -- File photo

BELLAIRE — Friends and former colleagues are remembering Jack Cera as a selfless public servant who always put others first.

“Jack Cera was a devoted family man, a loyal friend and an iconic public servant,” said Lou Gentile while remembering Cera Wednesday afternoon. “Jack always put the needs of the people he represented above his self-interest.”

A Bellaire native and Democrat who represented the region in the Ohio House of Representatives for nearly 25 years, Cera was 69 when he died Sunday after a battle with cancer.

He was a member of the House from 1983-96 and from 2011-20, representing Belmont, Monroe, Noble and Jefferson counties and a portion of Washington County. He served on a variety of committees, including several that focused on coal and energy. He was minority whip for the Democratic Caucus in 2016.

Among those who served with him in Columbus was Gentile, a former Steubenville resident and graduate of Catholic Central High School who represented the region in the state House and Senate.

“He knew how to compromise in the Legislature without compromising his values, and that’s a rarity in this day and age,” said Gentile, who added he and Cera had become close friends. “He was loyal — you could count on him when things got tough. He was always willing to fight for the things he believed in.”

Cera graduated from Bellaire High School in 1974 and from Brown University in 1978 with a degree in political science.

“He had a stellar reputation in the Statehouse as a bipartisan legislator,” Gentile added. “He was somebody who was effective in doing things on behalf of the people he represented.”

Cera is survived by his wife of 40 years, Becky, and their daughters, Jaclyn (Brent) Yocum and Bethany (Jimmy) Trifonoff, as well as three granddaughters.

Gentile said the two got to know each other after he accepted an appointment to the state Senate and Cera returned to the state House in 2011.

“We fought a lot of battles alongside one another, always trying to be available to people in the district,” Gentile said. “I always felt he was somebody the people could count on. I’m better for having served alongside of him.”

Ohio Democratic Party Chair Kathleen Clyde lauded Cera’s contributions to the state.

“I’m saddened to hear about the passing of my former colleague and friend,” she said. “He was known in the Legislature as an experienced leader who cared about and respected the General Assembly deeply, never losing sight of what it meant to represent his community in Columbus. Whether he was working to build our state’s infrastructure, advocating for greater transparency in government, or fighting for good-paying jobs, Jack was a tireless advocate for Southeast Ohio. I’m thinking of his family and everyone who knew him during this time.”

John M. Rogers, an attorney who served in the House alongside Cera, posted on social media about the loss of his friend.

“Jack was pretty special,” he wrote. “Not only a friend, he was a loving husband, father and grandfather. In the Statehouse, he was a true statesman, respected by all who knew him. A leader, a colleague and a mentor to many, his efforts not only helped his constituents, but in some ways would better the lives of everyone throughout Ohio.”

Gentile agreed.

“He’s somebody who will be missed in Eastern Ohio and the state,” he said.

Visitation will be held from 10 a.m. until the start of a memorial service at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at South Bellaire Methodist Church, with arrangements being handled by Toothman Funeral Home in St. Clairsville.

(Executive Editor Ross Gallabrese contributed to this story)