Albert S. Diaz

Monday, December 14, 1998

Albert S. Diaz

Administrative law judge active in civic affairs
Judge Albert S. "Buzz" Diaz, 72, of Monongahela, died Friday, December 11, 1998, in Mon Valley Hospital, Carroll Township.

He was born October 21, 1926, in Charleroi, a son of the Rev. C.P. Diaz and Anna Nelson Diaz.
He was a graduate of Charleroi High School. Following graduation, he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps. During active duty, he served as a tailgunner on a B-29 aircraft. He was commissioned as a lieutenant on September 7, 1946, and was assigned to March Air Force Base as a personnel affairs and information education officer. He was honorably discharged March 14, 1948. He then attended Allegheny College in Meadville and California University of Pennsylvania. He received his juris doctorate degree from Temple University School of Law.
Judge Diaz had an active legal practice in Charleroi for several years. He was an administrative law judge for the Pennsylvania Bureau of Worker's Compensation, a hearing examiner for the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board and became a referee for the Bureau of Worker's Compensation, serving Washington, Greene, Westmoreland and Fayette counties, from November 1967 to January 1972. He was certified by the U.S. Civil Service Commission as a federal administrative law judge in 1975, but he elected not to accept employment offered.
Judge Diaz was admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court, Pennsylvania Superior Court, Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania and Washington County Common Pleas and Orphans Court.
He was a member of Christ Lutheran Church of Charleroi, a charter member and past president of the former North Charleroi Lions Club, a member and past president of Charleroi Lions Club and a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 167, American Legion Post 22, F&AM Lodge 615, IOOF Lodge 1030 and BPOE Lodge 494, all of Charleroi, Syria Temple of Pittsburgh and Monongahela Valley Country Club.
Judge Diaz was active in community affairs. He organized the Mid-Mon Valley Charitable Golf Outing and other events, which have raised more than $100,000 for various youth organizations and causes in the Mon Valley area. His charitable efforts were recognized in October 1998 by Ronald McDonald House Charities of Pittsburgh, which presented him with the Big Mac award.
Surviving are his wife, Laura Miksch Diaz; two daughters, Tami Stewart of Greensburg and Laurie Castillo of Manassas, Va.; and three grandsons, Jonathon, Brett and Brandon.