AUGUSTA, GA (WFXG) - FORMER AUGUSTA COMMISSIONER ANDY CHEEK has PASSED AWAY AT AGE 66.

THE SOUTH AUGUSTA NATIVE SERVED THE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT 6 FROM 2000-2007. Cheek WORKED AT SAVANNAH RIVER NATIONAL LABORATORY FOR YEARS. HE MOVED TO NORTH AUGUSTA AFTER HE FINISHED HIS TERM. THE FORMER COMMISSIONER HAD BEEN SUFFERING FROM AN ILLNESS.

Former Commissioner MARION WILLIAMS RECALLS IT WASN’T TOO LONG AGO that HE AND who he referred to as his “TWIN BROTHER" WERE SITTING IN THESE SEATS.

WILLIAMS SAYS CHEEK FOUGHT FOR THE LITTLE GUY, EVEN USING HIS OWN MONEY TO HELP THEM, SOMETHING NO ONE on the commission HAD DONE BEFORE. “NOBODY EVER TOOK THE TIME TO GO TO EMPLOYEES AND LISTEN TO THEM AND SEE WHAT KIND OF ISSUES THEY HAD," WILLIAMS SAYS. "WE DID THAT BECAUSE WE CARED ABOUT THEM AND WE KNEW THE LITTLE MAN COULDN’T COME TO THE TOP AND THAT WAS OUR JOB.”

Williams says his friend WAS MORE THAN A CITY LEADER, he was Also a DEVOTED FATHER, HUSBAND AND BROTHER.

“HE WANTED TO HAVE THE DISTRICTS MOVING FORWARD AND I JUST LOVED THE FACT THAT HE WAS JUST A REGULAR GUY THAT YOU COULD TALK TO.”

CHEEK AND WILLIAMS WERE FONDLY KNOWN FOR THEIR CLOSE RELATIONSHIP. THE DUO DEALT WITH MAJOR ISSUES DURING THEIR TERMS. BUT, ACCOMPLISHED MANY THINGS SUCH AS ESTABLISHING DIAMOND LAKES REGIONAL Park.

wILLIAMS SAYS THEY DIDN’T ALWAYS SEE EYE TO EYE ON ALL THE ISSUES, BUT THEY ALWAYS WORKED TOGETHER FOR THE GOOD OF THE COMMUNITIES THEY REPRESENTED.

“I’M GRATEFUL THAT WHAT HE SAW IN HIS EYES WAS PEOPLE, HE DIDN’T SEE BLACK OR WHITE AND HE SAID THAT MANY TIMES. MOST PEOPLE WON’T EVEN SAY THAT, THEY ARE AFRAID TO SAY BLACK, THEY ARE AFRAID TO SAY WHITE....ANDY WAS A GREAT GUY AND I’M GLAD I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND WITH HIM AND SERVE WITH HIM FOR THAT MATTER.”

WILLIAMS SAY HE WILL MISS HIS FRIEND, BUT HOPES PEOPLE WILL REMEMBER HIM AND HIS DEDICATION TO THE CITY OF AUGUSTA.

There has been no word yet on funeral arrangements.

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