Kamloops is dealing with the loss of not one, but two political mainstays this past weekend.

The family of former Mayor Cliff Branchflower confirming that he passed away on Saturday.

Branchflower served as the mayor of Kamloops from 1991 to 1999 after winning the by-election brought on by the death of mayor Kenna Cartwright.

“When he got elected in the by election to finish out Kenna Cartwright’s term, some individuals had said that my dad had had no charisma and so when he was elected, somebody asked him, ‘can you put your finger on anything that you got elected?’ He said, ‘Well, it wasn’t charisma,’ chuckled Cliff’s son Wally Branchflower.

Wally says politics wasn’t something his dad Cliff ever sought out to do.

“He stood for the term, and then for some reason he couldn’t go to the meeting where they were trying to elect or appoint new representatives and because he had some other commitment to be at,” explained Wally.

“He (Cliff) was called up afterwards and they said ‘well there weren’t enough people that wanted to do it, do you want to continue to do it?’ and he said ‘okay.’ It wasn’t something that he sought out but was something he was willing to do.”

During his time in office, Cliff Branchflower oversaw a number of major events, including the Canada Summer Games in 1993.

He was honored with the Freedom of the City Award, the highest municipal honor, in 2008.

Cliff’s daughter Allison Branchflower says her dad Cliff lived a life of service, not only public service, but also friends and family service.

“He never sought notoriety, he just wanted to do the best he could and not expect credit, which seems maybe ironic given he was in public service for so long but, that’s how I remember Dad.”

Allison adds that her father never wanted to be perceived as a politician.

“Because as soon as you are beholden to a particular party or group then you aren’t able to stand up or speak for yourself, so I think that sort of was maybe alarming to him of what is sort of going on in the world today.”

Branchflower’s family says funeral arrangements are currently being made.

Branchflower’s death coincides with the weekend passing of long-time Kamloops councillor Pat Wallace — the two of whom both served on council together amid their overlapping careers.