Former Chatham-Kent (CK) Councillor Brian King has died.
He passed away on Saturday while staying at Riverview Gardens in Chatham. He was 73.
King served on CK's council for 14 years, stepping away from politics in 2014.
Michael Bondy is one of two current councillors who served alongside King. He told CK News Today that he'll always remember his integrity.
"No drama, no theatrics, he was just straight up. You could count on that guy to make the right decision every time," said Bondy.
The two met a few times while King was living at Riverview Gardens. Bondy said most of the visit was him trying to get King to laugh.
"I would just make jokes about council and what a gong show it's turned into," Bondy laughed.
Marjorie Crew is the only other councillor who worked alongside King. She explained that he was the ultimate advocate for the entire municipality.
"His passion for the community came through, not only in rural issues but for the entire [municipality]," she said.
Both Crew and Bondy said King was a big help when they first started out. Bondy credited King for helping him become the politician he is today.
"He steered me in the right direction and taught me to keep emotion out of decisions because that's the way he operated," he added.
A celebration of life is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Wednesday at the McKinlay Funeral Home in Chatham. King will be buried at Maple Leaf Cemetery in Tilbury.
