A 46-year veteran of local politics has died.
Former Tilbury Mayor and longtime councillor Bryon Fluker passed away on Wednesday at the age of 76.
According to his obituary, Fluker died peacefully at Riverview Gardens in Chatham.
Fluker served on council in some form representing Tilbury for over four decades, first being elected in 1972.
He spent eight years as the Mayor of Tilbury and was on Chatham-Kent council since amalgamation in 1998 before losing his bid for re-election in the 2018 municipal election.
Fluker was also a retired teacher at Tilbury District High School.
Mayor Darrin Canniff and Chatham-Kent Council colleagues praised Fluker following news of his passing.
“When you speak about political leaders in Tilbury, Bryon’s name is front and centre,” said Canniff. “His years of service and dedication to his community are unmatched.”
“Bryon had the unique ability to make even a boring meeting entertaining,” said Joe Faas, former Mayor of Dresden and Chatham-Kent Councillor since 2003. “We had a shared background in that we were both mayors before amalgamation. We didn’t agree on every issue but there was respect for each other when we differed.”
Fellow longtime colleague Councillor Doug Sulman, who served two decades with Fluker, described him as a "bundle of energy."
"He would dash into a room. His comments were laced with humour, but you knew that he’d done his homework.," Sulman said. "He was well-respected by fellow councillors and obviously by his community considering his length of service.”
Current West Kent Councillor Mark Authier, who served with Fluker during his last term, called him a mentor.
“He was a great mentor to me, and the Tilbury area owes him a debt of gratitude,” said Authier. “My condolences to his family.”
Visitation will take place at Reaume Funeral Home in Tilbury on Sunday, August 7 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. A memorial Service will be held at Valetta Presbyterian Church in Valetta at 11 a.m. on Monday, August 8.
