Prominent Pittsburgh Radio Vet, PennDOT & Mayoral Spokesperson Dies

PITTSBURGH, PA — He was the local spokesperson for PennDOT and two Pittsburgh mayoral administrations.

Dick Skrinjar, also the father of Fox Chapel basketball coach Zach Skinjar, has died. He was 75.

“Someone who loved the city, loved its people, loved his family,” Zach Skrinjar told KDKA-AM's Marty Griffin, who first broke the news of Dick Skrinjar's death.

“He was an elite communicator and he showed his family, his sons, his wife unconditional love and I think that’s what his legacy will be, is someone who just showed love, every time he was around people.”

Skrinjar worked at KDKA under legendary announcers Jack Bogut, John Cigna and Fred Honsberger during the 1970s.

He later was the longtime local face and voice of PennDOT, often appearing on TV when threatening winter weather occurred or was approaching.

Skrinjar also was the voice of two Pittsburgh mayoral administrations: Bob O' Connor, who died in 2006 of cancer after just nine months in office, and his successor, Luke Ravensahl.

Skrnjar also worked for Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala's office.

Funeral arrangements were not immediately available.