Kostas J. "Gus" Mastros

Kostas J. "Gus" Mastros

Gus was born on August 4, 1931 in Pittsburgh and died on Sunday August 28, 2022. A lifelong resident of Pittsburgh's Oakland section, he was the son of the late John and Katherine Mastros; and brother of the late Nicholas Mastros; uncle of Nicholas Mastros and his wife Evelyn and great-uncle of Nicole Mastros. Gus graduated from Schenley High School in 1949. In 1953, he received a BS degree in Business Administration and Personnel Management and worked toward a Master's degree in sociology from Duquesne University. After graduation in 1953, Gus went on active duty with the U.S. Army as First Lieutenant and Officer-in-Charge of the initial Trainee Processing Center, 8th Infantry Division at Fort Carson, CO. While attending college, Gus was approached by a college professor to work for the Department of Justice, Bureau of Corrections, at the Western State Penitentiary where his first position was as a counselor for the Board of Parole. From that point, Gus held several administrative and supervisory positions until his retirement in 1985 as Administrative Supervisor of the Western State Penitentiary.

During his time at the penitentiary, Gus became famous for a very dangerous situation. At 8:30 AM on April 14, 1983, Gus went to the ID room in the basement of Western State Penitentiary to get a cup of coffee and "sit around and talk to some people." But the people he found there were Richard Henkel, 45, a Hampton resident who was awaiting trial for murder and Richard Coviello, 26, a convicted murderer and robber from Dunmore, Lakawana County, who were overpowering Daniel Kohut, 39, a guard, in a botched attempt to escape from the prison. It was botched thanks to the unwitting presence of Gus Mastros. For the next five days, Gus and Kohut were the unwilling hostages of Henkel and Coviello, sometimes being forced to wear a noose made from prison uniforms around their necks. In negotiations with the twenty five-member crisis intervention team, the inmates threatened to kill the hostages with weapons smuggled in to them by an ex-guard if the authorities tried to use force to free Mastros and Kohut. Prison officials negotiated by phone and by talking to the inmates through a wooden door which separated the hostages from the negotiators. Unbeknownst to the inmates, the negotiators were able to see them and the hostages through a peephole in the door and listen to their conversations via listening devices. The five and a half day crisis ended when the inmates freed first Mastros and then Kohut. Later, Gus stated that he was thankful for his life.

Gus was truly dedicated to St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Oakland where he was an active member for his entire life. He was a seventy two year veteran of the choir (having joined the junior choir in his youth and then continuing on in the senior choir until 2018), he volunteered as "Maitre d' Extraordinaire" for the Food Festival where he was well known for decades greeting guests, spotting "V.I.P.'s" as he welcomed each guest as an old friend and made sure they felt at home and serving on many committees. He was especially generous towards his beloved Cathedral through the years in efforts to enhance or preserve the beauty of the church. Gus was also an active member of the Pittsburgh Athletic Association (PAA) and the Hellenic American Legion. Gus was truly an unsung hero who always had a smile for everyone and never sought praise for his good deeds, he made lives richer just by being who he was.

Friends will be received at John A. Freyvogel Sons, Inc. 4900 Centre Avenue at Devonshire Street (freyvogelfuneralhome.com) on Tuesday, August 30, 2022 from 2-6PM (with Trisagion Service at 5PM) and again on Wednesday August 31, 2022  from 10AM until an 11AM funeral service in the funeral home. Entombment will be at the Quiet Reflections Mausoleum at Homewood Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made in Gus' name to St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral Building Fund or Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh (www.humaneanimalrescue.org).

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