Former colleagues of Gail Alty who passed away on the weekend remember the retired Coquitlam trustee as a person with character who was dedicated to serving students and families in School District 43.
Alty served the school district for 21 years but was not re-elected in 2014.
She passed away in East Sooke, where she lived with her husband Dave.
Keith Watkins, a Port Moody trustee, remembers Alty as a woman who was more interested in making life better for students and employees than scoring points for being political.
"She was not a politician, she brought character to the board table," said Watkins, who remembers Alty running for school trustee after she was president of the District Parent Advisory Council. "She always tried to do the right thing."
Current board chair Barb Hobson, who served while Alty was a trustee, said in the email that Alty would be remembered for her dedication.
"School District 43 (Coquitlam) offers our sincerest condolences to the family of Gail Alty a former trustee who served for several years on SD43’s Board of Education. Ms. Alty dedicated herself to education in the Tri Cities region and we are forever grateful for her many contributions," Hobson stated.
Alty was first elected to the school board in 1993.
