Farewell to friend, former board member Al Meiklejohn

We were deeply saddened to hear today of the passing of our good friend and former Bell Action Network board member Al Meiklejohn.

At 86, Al lived a long and very meaningful life, as anyone who reads his obituary in today's Denver Post will realize.

Al joined the board of the Bell Action Network in 2004 and helped guide our work on fiscal issues, including TABOR reform and our work in favor of Referendum C & D in 2005. He served two terms on our board, ending in 2008.

Al was fiercely committed to doing the right thing for Colorado and its people. That is clear from the strong legacy he left as a state senator for 20 years, especially on education issues. And it is why he was such a cherished part of our family at the Bell.

A proud Republican, Al was nevertheless a model of bipartisanship. He always placed the people of Colorado first, and that's why he didn't hesitate for a minute to embrace our work on fiscal reform and education issues. His enthusiastic support and wise counsel were critical assets, and his commitment to reaching across political lines to do the right thing is an example we have tried to take to heart in all our work.

We were blessed to have known and worked with Al Meiklejohn, and we will miss him tremendously. He had a kind heart, a keen mind and disarming charm.

And at his core, he had a commitment to doing the right thing. In these increasingly partisan days, following that example is perhaps the best way to pay tribute to our good friend.