An infectious disease specialist in the Mahoning Valley is dead at the age of 72.

According to his obituary, Dr. John Venglarcik III died suddenly in his home at the age of 72. Dr. Venglarcik has appeared on 21 News numerous times over the years to discuss infectious diseases from Measles to COVID-19.

Dr. Venglarcik graduated from Struthers High School in 1970 and pursued his undergraduate studies at Kent State and Youngstown State Universities before earning his medical degree from Ohio State University in 1977.

Throughout his career Venglarcik served as a pediatric infectious disease doctor starting his career at Tod Children's Hospital before establishing his own private practice.

He also served as the director of the Tuberculosis (TB) Clinic at the Mahoning County Board of Health. 

Additionally, Dr. Venglarcik served as a professor at NEOMED, where he taught Mercy Health's very own Dr. James Kravec. He also served as director for Dr. Kravec's training Tod Children's Hospital.

"He taught me not just medicine and the science of medicine, but really the art of medicine, so the practical sense of what we need to know but also how do we roll that out into the community [and] into the population," Dr. Kravec said.

Outside of his professional practice, Dr. Venglarcik was involved in philanthropic endeavors including medical trips to Haiti and the Dominican Republic to provide health care to those in need as a board member of Brown Horse Projects.

He also served at the Neil Kennedy Rehabilitation Center and pioneered the use of internet technology for direct patient communications.

Visitation services for Venglarcik will take place Thursday, May 2 at Higgins-Reardon Funeral Home's Poland Chapel from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Prayers will be held at the funeral home the following day at 9:30 a.m. followed by a mass of Christian burial at 10:00 a.m. at Holy Family Church.