The Pennsylvania State Coroners’ Association has existed for nearly 90 years. First chartered in 1934, the Association’s goal has been to support the mission of Pennsylvania’s county coroners.
Today, the association is made of up both elected and appointed coroners, appointed medical examiners; and their deputies and investigators.
Our mission remains the same: to support our constituents by being a voice to the issues presented in each and every county of the Commonwealth.
Materials handed out at the 1960 Annual Meeting offered the following history:
A Brief History Of Our Association
Edward A. Haegele, Cumberland County Coroner
Association, which would be the first coroners’ organization in the history of Pennsylvania; after hearing the good will of those present, we decided to take on ourselves the authority to form this association.
We accepted and incorporated the name “Pennsylvania State Coroners Association,” the association to have members of the Coroners’ profession; (the) majority of the coroners in the state took memberships and were well pleased that interest was being taken in the office.
The association became quite active and worked for the welfare and good of the coroners in office.
Legislation was enacted; by-laws, dues and all matters pertaining to the Coroner’s office was discussed and accepted; later they were presented to a meeting of all the Coroners in the State.
(The first Annual Convention…) which was a big success; the attendance represented about ninety percent of the Coroners; we talked over matters, accepted all legislation, and hoped to make the association one of the best and strongest in the State.
Annual conventions were held till the year 1942, when WW II was called; it was the voice of the officers and coroners to postpone all conventions and activities until peace was declared.
After the peace was signed, the association become dormant, in fact, it was a “thing of the past,” the efforts made in the year 1934 were forgotten.
In 1950, Coroner Warren W. Wood of Erie called a meeting of the Coroners in office ; through his hard work, a convention was called for Erie.
Coroner Wood did an exceptionally fine job and held a grand convention, although only a few coroners were present.
From this year to 1956, the association had another set back, till several Coroners under the leadership of Dr. Paul D. Good, Coroner of Berks County, called a meeting, a re-organization of the association was discussed and activities resumed; a convention was slated to be held October 12-13, 1956, at the Fallon Hotel, Lock Haven, with Coroner R. L. Bryerton, Clinton County, as the convention chairman. It is hoped that the association will now become more active than before and that it will become one of the strongest in the history of the State.
Since the conventions held in Lock Haven in 1956, Greensburg in 1957, and Altoona in 1958, there have been many enthusiastic developments; legislation as to assessments on counties for the recognition of the coroner’s office has been passed and from responses to this legislation the counties are paying the assessments.
The medical examiner bill has been put back into the committee’s hands; from reports, it is not favored by many law· makers, which is to the best of the coroner’s office since our law makers feel that this office is essential and beneficial to the taxpayers.
Other legislation is now in progress and will be considered in the next meetings of our law
makers.
In all, the office is now· stronger than ever and will still grow stronger since it is now being favored with legislation and recognizance as an essential and important office.
We hope that all coroners will do their part as this is your office, so it must be respected and carried on as never before ; the association is your organization, so let us make it the best.