(Harrisburg) -- The death of former Penn State football coach Joe Paterno has shaken many Pennsylvanians, including several in the Susquehanna Valley. Tracy Sutton of Harrisburg says he's been a fan of the Nittany Lions, and Paterno, since he was young. At Underdog Sports Bar and Grill in Harrisburg, he says Paterno wasn't only a great coach, but a role model off the field. "He was a great man. He did a lot for, I mean, who would give money back to the school like he's done for many years and stuff? So, I think he's done a lot for the school, and for the state of Pennsylvania." Brenda Crow of Linglestown says she cried while talking on the phone with her daughter about Paterno's death. She says he's an idol of sorts to her. "He has the biggest following, especially, you know, in Pennsylvania," she says. "Of course, everybody loves JoePa. Who didn't?" Rick Medellin of Harrisburg says his 83-year-old father once met Paterno and was especially sorry to hear of his death. He says the longtime coach was a rare kind of man. "Only the students know what they lost," he says. "He was one-of-a-kind, and there'll never be another one like him. He is Penn State." Paterno passed away yesterday at the age of 85 due to complications from lung cancer. He is the winningest coach in Division I college football history, with 409 career victories.