Leamington Councillor Rick Atkin has died of natural causes.
According to the town, Atkin was found dead in his home yesterday, after not being seen for a couple of days.
"He hadn't shown up for a couple of days to work with his horses," says Mayor John Paterson. "When I heard that and after (missing council) Monday night, I thought that just doesn't sound right."
Paterson says Atkins' "passion and determination" to work for the community will be dearly missed. "For a lot of the staff who have worked with him for decades, when he was our recreational director, it's just a huge loss to everybody here."
Funeral arrangements will be made available in the coming days.
