Nancy Pelosi's Brother, Former Baltimore Mayor Thomas DAlesandro III, Dies

Former Baltimore Mayor Thomas D’Alesandro III, the eldest brother of US Democratic party politician Nancy Pelosi , has died.

In a statement released Sunday, Pelosi said her family is “devastated by the loss of our patriarch,” calling him “the finest public servant I have ever known.”

“His life and leadership were a tribute to the Catholic values with which we were raised: faith, family, patriotism,” she continued. “He profoundly believed, as did our parents, that public service was a noble calling and that we all had a responsibility to help others.”

According to The Baltimore Sun , D’Alesandro died Sunday of stroke complications. He was 90.

D’Alesandro served as the city’s 42nd mayor from 1967 to 1971, following in the footsteps of his father, who held the position from 1947 to 1959.

Praising D’Alesandro’s career, Pelosi remembered him as “a champion of civil rights” who “worked tirelessly for all who called Baltimore home.”

“Tommy was a leader of dignity, compassion and extraordinary courage, whose presence radiated hope upon our city during times of struggle and conflict,” she said. “All his life, Tommy worked on the side of the angels. Now, he is with them. With his commitment to his family and public service, his life has truly blessed America.”