Personal Life
Ravenstahl's father, Robert P. Ravenstahl, Jr., is a district magistrate on the Northside, and head coach for the North Catholic High School football team. His grandfather, Robert P. Ravenstahl, Sr., represented the 20th legislative district as a state representative, was a Democratic ward leader in the North Side, and was defeated in the 1976 Democratic primary by a young Tom Murphy, who would go on to become mayor himself. Ravenstahl's mother is currently a teacher's aide with the Allegheny Intermediate Unit. Ravenstahl is the eldest of three brothers including Adam Ravenstahl, a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.
Ravenstahl graduated from North Catholic High School in 1998, where he was class president and played baseball and football. He attended Washington & Jefferson College, where he graduated with honors with a degree in business administration in December 2002. He was W&J's starting place kicker on the football team for three years and was team captain for his senior year. He currently holds the school record for most consecutive extra points. Following graduation from W&J, Ravenstahl worked as an account manager for a courier service.
In August 2004, he married Erin Lynn Feith, whom he had begun dating in high school. They resided in the Summer Hill neighborhood of the Northside. Ravenstahl is a Roman Catholic and attends mass weekly at Holy Wisdom Parish on the Northside.
Luke and Erin's only child was born on October 31, 2008 shortly before 9:30 in the morning. He is named Cooper Luke Ravenstahl.
On May 19, 2007, Ravenstahl delivered the keynote address at Washington & Jefferson College's 208th commencement celebration. He served as honorary co-captain with fellow W&J graduate Roger Goodell during W&J's 2006 homecoming football game.
As a sign of support for the Pittsburgh Steelers' 2009 AFC Championship game against the Baltimore Ravens, Ravenstahl ceremonially changed his name to "Luke Steelerstahl" on January 14, 2009. Court officials did not actually file the name change paperwork, and his legal name remains Ravenstahl.
On November 23, 2009, Ravenstahl announced that he and his wife, Erin, had split and that he has moved out of the home that they had shared. He was quoted as saying "She doesn't like the limelight. She didn't like the fact that I became the mayor. She doesn't like the public nature of the position." On November 24, the mayor announced that he and his wife were "formally separating," but had no plans to officially file for divorce. On March 11, 2011, Erin Ravenstahl filed for divorce citing irreconcilable differences. Their divorce was finalized in late July 2011.
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