Athlete, hair stylist, advocate: Prince Rupert city councillor Nelson Kinney mourned

People in Prince Rupert, B.C,. are remembering Nelson Kinney, a longtime city councillor who died Saturday.

Kinney, 77, moved to the North Coast city in 1957 and was first elected to council in 2002 with a focus on improving the quality of life for seniors and youth.

He was elected four more times, most recently in 2014. His term would have been complete in November of this year.

Kinney came to Prince Rupert as a teenager and, as a young athlete, competed in gymnastics and diving, and later worked as a lifeguard. He went on to be a hair stylist and owner of a well-loved salon until his retirement.

Kinney was active until his final days, attending a regional council board meeting the day before his passing.

'Dear friend and colleague': mayor

Mayor Lee Brain called him "a dear friend and colleague," writing that Kinney "spent his final evening advocating passionately for the betterment of our community and our region, as he had done for so many years."

Herb Pond, who served as mayor during Kinney's first term, said the councillor was "passionate about ensuring we look after the elders of the community."

NDP MLA and former Prince Rupert city councillor Jennifer Rice said: "I could always rely on him to have a drawer full of candies and cough drops to get through a long night of discussion. He was passionate about seniors and youth and had a fantastic sense of humour."

The cause of death has not been released, although Kinney had missed several council meetings due to health concerns. Details of a memorial service have yet to be made public.