The Athabasca region lost one of its most fervent advocates with the sudden passing last week of Aspen View school trustee and former Athabasca County councillor Edgar Koehler.
Koehler dedicated much of his life to public service, serving 21 years on county council and 24 years on the school board; he was one of very few who had the capacity to fill both positions simultaneously.
In both roles, he made certain that the interests of his constituencies (Division 8 of Athabasca County and the Athabasca North West ward of Aspen View School Division) were understood and respected around the table.
At the same time, Koehler was also cognizant of the ‘bigger picture’ and was fully on board with regional initiatives that he saw would benefit the county or school division as a whole, his key role in the development of the Athabasca Regional Waste Management Services Commission being one example.
At meetings, Koehler was always one of the more involved participants. While some elected officials prefer to pick and choose issues on which to weigh in, Koehler was rarely shy about offering his opinion on any agenda topic.
Away from meetings, Koehler remained an active representative, appearing regularly at community events, school functions and sports activities. Friendly and outgoing, Koehler grew a large circle of friends and acquaintances, all of whom mourn his untimely passing.
Koehler hadn’t officially declared if he’d run again in this fall’s municipal elections, though many close to him believe he would have. We’re poorer without his ongoing contributions, and prospective candidates would be well served to learn from his legacy.
