The Mayor of the Municipality of West Elgin sadly passed away over the weekend.
Council members and staff are in mourning after Mayor Duncan McPhail died at age 69 on Saturday. According to McPhail's obituary, he passed away two weeks shy of his 70th birthday, surrounded by family at University Hospital in London.
McPhail spent decades serving in various political roles for the area which covers towns and hamlets including West Lorne, Rodney, Eagle and New Glasgow. He was first elected to the Aldborough Township Council on 1988 where he worked as a municipal councillor and deputy reeve. He was elected as the first mayor of West Elgin ten years later and served from 1998-2002.
In 2018, McPhail was elected for mayor once more and was re-elected to serve another term in the 2022 municipal election last October.
"His love of this community is second only to his love of family," read a statement from Deputy Mayor Richard Leatham. "Mayor McPhail was an active farmer, pillar of the community and still found the time to participate in a number of committees and community events."
Leatham regarded McPhail as the "ultimate cheerleader" through is unwavering support of his colleagues on council.
"We have lost a trusted advisor and the ultimate champion of the Municipality of West Elgin, and in his spirt [sic] we endeavor to carry on in Duncan’s memory, with the high standard he set," Letham concluded.
A celebration of life will be held at the Rodney Recreation Centre on Friday at 2 p.m.
