The Daily Freeman is reporting state Assembly member Frank Skartados [Scar-TUH-dos] died April 15, at St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital, according to his chief of staff, Steve Gold. Skartados was 62. The Milton Democrat was diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer in late January. Skartados was serving his fourth two-year term representing the 104th Assembly District. Born in Greece, Skartados arrived in New York City with his mother at age 14 in 1970. He graduated, with honors, from the State University of New York at New Paltz with a degree in political science. He was first elected to the Assembly in 2008, but lost the seat two years later to Tom Kirwin by less than twenty votes. He regained the office in a March 2012 special election following Kirwin’s death, and held it ever since. “As a strong but gentle soul, he always spoke truth to power while simultaneously making time to help those among us most in need,” Ulster County Executive Mike Hein said in a written statement. “We are all blessed that he chose a life of service and because of his integrity, he will forever be profoundly missed.” Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.