Terry Pilger, a long-time Gravenhurst politician, has passed away.
“It is with great sadness that we have lost Terry Pilger,” his wife Wendy Pilger wrote on Facebook just before noon Tuesday. “Our family is all together and coping in our own way. If everyone could please respect our privacy at this time we will reach out when we are ready to.”
She wrote he suffered “a massive heart attack this morning after a brief bout of the flu.”
Pilger boasts 26 years of council experience, 17 of which came at the district level. He most recently ran to be the next District of Muskoka Chair and, prior to that, ran to be the next mayor of Gravenhurst in the 2022 municipal election.
He also worked as a real estate agent with RE/MAX Professionals North in Gravenhurst.
Many people posted their condolences on Facebook with Nancy Beal saying Pilger was “one of Gravenhurst’s greats.”
Hundreds of others commented offering their thoughts and prayers to the family.
“He served his community in so very many ways,” wrote Judy Campbell. She pointed out how he closely worked with Ryde Community Co-op. Others noted how Pilger would always jump at the opportunity to support other organizations in Gravenhurst.
“Such a great guy and wonderful representative of Gravenhurst, not to mention, a loving husband, father and grandfather and friend,” added Amanda Rigby.