High River Town Councillor, Bruce Masterman, has some fond recollections of Eldon Couey.

Couey, who passed away Friday, January 11,at the age of 88 was the Mayor from 1989 to 1998.

Masterman says Couey didn't mince a lot of words, but he always took the time to listen.

"He would ask you what you thought about things. He wouldn't just stand there and pontificate and go on and on about what he thought about things. He truly, genuinely wanted to know what other people thought about things. We might have disagreed on a few issues and we certainly did, at least in a good natured way. But, I always respected what he had to say and I think it was mutual."

Masterman, who knew Eldon for years, says Couey was the classic, small town, Western Canadian Mayor.

"I just loved how he would walk down the street with his cowboy hat on and his boots and stop and talk and shake hands and say "hello" to everybody. And for some people that would come across as really false. With Eldon, it was so genuine. It was so who he really was."

Masterman says Couey did what a lot of politicians today don't do.

He took the time to listen.

A memorial for Couey is planned for Wednesday, January 16, at 1 o'clock at the Highwood Memorial Centre.

 

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