Prince George city council held a minute of silence on Monday for former Prince George city councillor and local broadcaster Gordon Leighton.
A GoFundMe campaign was launched on July 4, after Leighton and his wife, Peggy, were both diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer. The fundraiser, organized by Scott McWalter of Prince George, had raised $4,145 as of Wednesday morning.
“I’d just like to acknowledge the fact that we lost one of our council members, from 1999 to 2002. Longtime general manager of CKPG Gordon Leighton passed away last week in Vernon,” Coun. Ron Polillo said. “He moved shortly after his term on council ended. So he’s been in Vernon for a couple decades, but was still I know… he was fully aware of what was happening here in Prince George. And continued his career in radio in the Okanagan and retired about five years ago.”
Peggy Leighton posted on Facebook on July 18 that her "greatest partner and friend" passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, Castanet reported.
"Such a great life we have shared. Such a great man he was," she wrote.
Leighton unsuccessfully ran for Vernon city council in 2018 and launched a campaign to create a non-profit community radio station in the community, after his retirement. The station, 97.9 Valley FM, is currently streaming as it fundraises to build a broadcast tower.
He was also a former president of the BC Association of Broadcasters.
“I think we all know Gord through his involvement here,” Mayor Simon Yu said.
- With files from Jon Manchester, Castanet
