Coventry Township fills vacancy following sudden death of trustee

The Coventry Township Board of Trustees will swear in a new member following the death of longtime Trustee George Beckham.

Beckham died suddenly Oct. 15 "while enjoying a lifelong pastime of running at Towpath Metro Park," his obituary said.

Josh Randles was appointed to fill the vacancy Nov. 3 at a special meeting of the remaining trustees. According to a Nov. 4 press release, Randles will be officially sworn in at the board's regular Nov. 12 meeting.

"Randles brings decades of professional experience, leadership, and organizational skills, along with a demonstrated commitment to serving the Coventry community," the release said.

For three years, Randles served on Coventry Township's Zoning Commission. He also had a two-year stint on the Parks Advisory Committee, and is a high school sports official in baseball and football.

His appointment opened a vacant seat on the township's Zoning Commission. The trustees appointed Mario Micale to that seat at the same Nov. 3 special meeting that resulted in Randles' appointment as trustee.

Randles served three years on the Coventry Township Zoning Commission and two years on the Parks Advisory Committee. He is also a high school sports official in baseball and football, continuing his commitment to giving back through local athletics.

"Randles believes in staying involved, listening to residents, and working to keep Coventry a great place to live," the release states. "Outside of his community service, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Mary, playing golf, and making memories with friends and family."

Who was Trustee George Beckham?

Beckham's obituary states that he was a 46-year resident of Coventry Township, serving as its zoning inspector for 30 years before his 2018 retirement. He was raised in Norton. For the last six years, he served as township trustee. Additionally, he ha served as president of the Summit County Township Association and on the Portage Lakes Advisory Council.

"George was an avid runner and traveler enjoying trips across the country and around the world," his obituary states. "He was a passionate post card collector. A significant number of his local antique postcards were showcased in the book called 'Greetings from Portage Lakes: Celebrating History in Picture Postcards' after which they were donated to the Portage Lakes branch of the library."

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Coventry Township fills vacancy following sudden death of trustee