Tom Gosnell, former mayor of London, has passed away.
Officials at London city hall say the 63-year-old died on Monday night after a battle with cancer.
Gosnell was elected Mayor in 1986 and held the position until 1994. After a hiatus from city politics, he returned to city hall in 2003 when he was elected to Board of Control. He served as Deputy Mayor until 2010.
Former Mayor Anne Marie DeCicco-Best, who was first elected to council as a 26-year-old when Gosnell was Mayor, says he was passionate about making London a better place and helped her make the adjustment from being a reporter covering council to being a member of it.
"He really took me under his his wing, as they say, and wanted to be sure that as a new member of council I could contribute in the best way possible," says DeCicco-Best. "Sharing a lot of his own experiences and listening made it easier to be a member of council."
"He was always engaged, interested and willing to share both information and his perspective on things," says Councillor Paul Hubert. "He was a young mayor and he got things done. I think a lot of the downtown revitalization started with him and I think a lot of the development growth, like it or not, will be part of his legacy."
Visitation will be held at Logan Funeral Home at 371 Dundas St. on Friday, December 12 from 2pm to 4pm and 7pm to 9pm. A memorial service will be held at Metropolitan United Church on Saturday at 2pm.