The Loveland City Hall chamber overflowed on Aug. 1, as family, friends and current and former city officials gathered to honor Kent Blair, the former councilmember who died June 7 after a cancer diagnosis.

Blair served on Loveland City Council from 2018 to 2023, earning a reputation for financial rigor and hands-on community projects.

Even after leaving office, he kept showing up.

Attending council meetings as a private citizen became a ritual for Blair, familiar enough that regulars noticed when his seat was empty.

As we reported July 21, the city organized the Celebration of Life on behalf of Blair's family.

Mayor Kathy Bailey addressed the crowd, recounting Blair's political start on council and sharing stories from his five years of service and his work on the finance commission. Bailey appointed Blair to council in January 2018 to fill the seat vacated by former Mayor Mark Fitzgerald. She said at the time that she chose him because he shared her "commitment to community engagement and transparency." Blair won election to the seat in November 2019 and chose not to seek re-election in 2023.

Former councilmember Neal Oury spoke about Blair's civic contributions and recalled a project the two built together: the Adirondack chairs that now line the downtown bike trail. Those chairs remain a visible piece of Blair's legacy in the Sweetheart City.

Blair's sisters, Deborah Blair and Kathleen Pesusic, shared memories of growing up in California, describing him as the smart big brother who looked out for the family. His brother-in-law, Danny Pesusic, followed with additional family remembrances.

Before joining council, Blair worked at U.S. Bank as an investment advisor and broker and coached soccer in the Loveland community for years. After leaving his council seat, he continued serving on both the Community Improvement Corporation and the Finance Commission.

The tribute drew people from across Blair's life, according to Loveland Daily. Those with California roots mixed with longtime Loveland residents, reflecting the breadth of connections Blair built over his years in the city.

Blair's memorial falls during Loveland's sesquicentennial year. The city's next major community celebration is the 150th anniversary gala, scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 12.