Barber Became a Fixture in North Braddock

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In his 50 years of cutting hair in North Braddock, Thomas Pekarcik was simply known as "Tom the Barber."

His customers included many of the men who grew up in the borough or made it their home. And for the younger crowd, getting a cut once school was out for the summer was a yearly ritual that included his four sons.

"If Dad wasn't too busy, he'd allow us to bring our friends in for their summer crew cut," said Carl Pekarcik of East Pittsburgh. "And he'd never let them pay. Once our hair was cut, Dad would say we were OK for the rest of the summer."

Thomas Pekarcik of North Braddock, a retired employee of U.S. Steel's Edgar Thomson plant, died Monday, May …