Politically, Harry Meshel served in the Ohio State Senate from 1970 to 1993. Then he served as chair to the Ohio Democratic Party from 1993 to 1995.

Mahoning County Democrat Party Chairman David Betras said, "Everything he brought to the Valley. Everything he did for the Valley. We lost one of the greatest public servants in the history of the Mahoning Valley. It's immeasurable the amount of dollars, when he was the Senate president, that he was able to bring back to the Mahoning Valley."

"He was truly a giant in Valley politics. He has done so much for the Valley. He was well-respected on both sides of the aisle. He was a true, true gentleman," said Mahoning County Republican Party Chairman, Mark Munroe.

The World War II veteran was deeply involved in veteran's affairs and was always interested in the welfare of those who had served in the military.

Generations of Youngstown State University students alone will reap the benefits that Meshel brought to the university. In fact, they named a building after him in 1986.  Many of his accomplishments and accolades are hanging inside the building that bears his name.  In 2007, Senator Meshel was appointed to the Youngstown State University Board of Trustees to serve a nine-year term.

YSU President Jim Tressel said, "We certainly lost an awesome member of the Greatest Generation. A true advocate for the Mahoning Valley and YSU."

"Our university is maybe twice or three times the size it would have been if he wasn't in the House or Senate bringing dollars back to the Valley," said former AMVETS National Commander John Brown.

Meshel also helped create the Ohio Boxing Commission and was good friends with Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini.

"I always said, the thing about Harry, he's always been ahead of the curve. One of those guys very forward thinking and I always admired that about him," said Mancini. "Nobody was a greater historian of Youngstown than Harry Meshel. Nobody had a greater love for this city and the people in it than Harry Meshel. I don't know of anybody who was in politics fighting for the needs of the people as long as Harry Meshel. He was just a wonderful, wonderful man and will be sadly missed," he said. 

The irony on Meshel passing on Labor Day was not lost on the people who knew him since he did so much for the workers of the region. But it was his big Greek family that maybe meant the most to Harry.

His nephew, Nik Zirounis, worked as a director at WFMJ for years.

"He never forgot where he came from and my whole family was like that. Just a humble group of people who always believed in their church, believed in their heritage, believed in being close and believed in sharing whatever you had with other people," said Zirounis.

Harry Meshel was 93-years-old. His family is still finalizing funeral arrangements.