us ville , ▁Pennsylvania ▁on ▁December ▁ 2 5 , ▁ 1 9 3 8 . ▁He ▁served ▁in ▁the ▁Army , ▁both ▁active ▁and ▁reserve ▁duty , ▁from ▁ 1 9 5 7 ▁through ▁ 1 9 6 3 . ▁Following ▁his ▁honor able ▁dis charge ▁as ▁a ▁Special ist , ▁Pet erson ▁owned ▁and ▁operated ▁a ▁ret ail ▁food ▁market ▁in ▁his ▁h omet own ▁of ▁Ple asant ville ▁for ▁ 2 6 ▁years . ▁Pet erson ▁also ▁completed ▁a ▁ 3 - year ▁R ural ▁Le ad ership ▁Program ▁through ▁P enn ▁State ▁University . ▁ ▁Pet erson ' s ▁first ▁public ▁office ▁was ▁on ▁his ▁local ▁bor ough ▁council , ▁where ▁he ▁served ▁for ▁eight ▁years . ▁He ▁was ▁first ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁Pennsylvania ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives ▁on ▁November ▁ 8 , ▁ 1 9 7 7 ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 4 , ▁Pet erson ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁Pennsylvania ▁Senate ▁where ▁he ▁served ▁for ▁ 1 2 ▁years , ▁chair ing ▁both ▁the ▁Public ▁Health ▁and ▁W elf are ▁Committee ▁and ▁the ▁Republican ▁Policy ▁Committee . ▁While ▁in ▁the ▁legisl ature , ▁Pet erson ▁author ed ▁the ▁W elf are ▁Reform , ▁Living ▁Will , ▁and ▁A ID S ▁Conf ident ial ity ▁legisl ation . ▁He ▁also ▁created ▁five ▁High er ▁Education ▁Coun c ils ▁in ▁his ▁district ▁which ▁enable ▁students ▁from ▁rural ▁areas ▁to ▁ear n ▁university ▁degrees ▁right ▁in ▁their ▁own ▁community . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁Pet erson ▁was