Lasch Family Says Penn State Football Building Has ‘Lost its Shine’ Due to Scandal, Report Says

Connie Smukler, the daughter of Louis and Mildred Lasch, said the football building named for her late parents at Penn State has ‘lost its shine’ as a direct result of the Jerry Sandusky scandal.

In an interview with The Altoona Mirror published Sunday, she said the family is ‘heartbroken’  over the child sex abuse charges against Sandusky, which cost former coach Joe Paterno his job Nov. 9.

‘The [Lasch] building is wonderful and to be used for wonderful things, but with this alleged incident, it’s lost its pristine,’ Smukler said.

‘It’s lost its shine. I don’t know if that will come back. Now it will be the alleged incident that will forever be recalled and not the beauty of the building.’

Her parents were both instrumental in establishing Penn State football’s booster club in 1959 and donated the initial $1.7-million, following Louis’ death in 1995, toward construction of the 89,000-square foot facility on Penn State’s campus.

The total cost of the Lasch Building, which was completed in 2000, was $14.7 million, according to the newspaper. 

Louis and Mildred Lasch were close friends of Joe and Sue Paterno. He died Jan. 22 from complications of lung cancer.

Andy Smukler, son of Connie and grandson of Mildred and Louis Lasch, said it hurts to see the family name tainted.

‘If you Google-search my grandfather’s name, you get pedophilia,’ he said. ‘I want people to know who my grandfather was because he was great for the football program, and he loved the football program.

‘But I’m not happy that for the first time people are associating the name Lasch with Penn State football, and they are learning it this way.’

Added Connie Smukler: ‘There is no closure. And there won’t be any closure.’

The full story by the Altoona Mirror is available here.

Related coverage:

• StateCollege.com’s ongoing Sandusky coverage page