Nov 1, 2017 3 min read

WAYNESBURG – Longtime Greene County Coroner Gregory Rohanna will face his first general election opponent since he was appointed to office more than two decades ago.

Rohanna, 59, a Democrat from Jefferson, has served as coroner since his appointment in September 1996 and has won the past five elections while running unopposed in each of them.

That is changing this year as former funeral home director Gene Rush, 69, a Republican from Rogersville, will appear on the ballot against Rohanna for coroner in the Nov. 7 election.

Rush said he’s running to give voters a choice in the election and wants to find a solution to the opioid epidemic, in which 19 Greene residents died of drug overdoses last year.

“We are facing new problems in a county that is vastly different from the last time we had a choice in a coroner,” Rush said. “Complacency leads to stagnancy, and in a community suffering a drug epidemic we need to use every resource we possibly can. I currently see the coroner’s office as a wasted opportunity to work to prevent deaths.”

Rohanna said his experience as coroner for 21 years has been beneficial to Greene County, along with his position as secretary and treasurer of the Pennsylvania State Coroner’s Association. Before that, he served as chief deputy coroner for 14 years.

“I appreciate the confidence the citizens of Greene County have had in me,” Rohanna said. “It has been a great opportunity, and I ask the citizens of Greene County for their continued support to serve them as coroner again.”

The Observer-Reporter in July filed an open records lawsuit against Rohanna requesting his annual reports from 2015 and 2016. Both candidates were sent a list of questions by email and they responded in writing.

Before running for coroner, Rush operated his own funeral home for 31 years and previously served as a deputy coroner in Washington County. Rush said he would like to bring more transparency to the office, reporting death statistics to interested organizations.

“Being open about what the coroner can do for the entire county regarding safety and education helps to bring these issues to light,” Rush said.

In addition to serving as coroner, Rohanna is the funeral director and supervisor of Behm Funeral Homes in Jefferson. He also has served as an officer and president of both the Southwestern Pennsylvania Funeral Directors Association and the Pennsylvania State Funeral Directors Association, and is a member of the National Funeral Directors Association National Policy Board representing the Pennsylvania.

“I am the only candidate that has the knowledge, experience and certification for being coroner of Greene County,” Rohanna said.

The coroner serves a four-year term and investigates unexpected deaths.

Salary: $45,423

Term: Four years 

Democrat

Gregory Rohanna

Age: 59

Hometown: Jefferson

Education: WVU, Waynesburg College and Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science

Occupation: Greene County coroner and funeral director

Republican

Gene Rush

Age: 69

Hometown: Rogersville

Education: Robert Morris College and Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science

Occupation: Retired funeral director