Cecil Schlecht, 53, former board member for Battle Ground Public Schools, died Monday at his Pleasant Valley home.
Schlecht had fought a six-month battle with lung cancer.
The 1975 Battle Ground High School graduate served on the school board from early 2006 through 2009.
Schlecht lost a November 2005 school board contest with Mark Pelletier, despite the latter’s announcement he soon would move from the district. When Pelletier did move, the board chose to appoint Schlecht to the empty seat in January 2006.
Schlecht ran unopposed in 2007 to fill out the remainder of Pelletier’s original four-year term. He then was defeated by current board president Steve Pagel in November 2009.
His three-year board tenure was marked by his persistent questioning of and resistance to policies pursued by the board’s majority and Superintendent Shonny Bria. He and Richard Kent, also unseated in last year’s election, often were on the short end of 3-2 board votes.
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Schlecht also stumbled over conflict-of-interest rules regarding Roof Toppers Inc., run by his brother, David. A state auditor’s report found that rather than recuse himself, he’d voted on several school district work projects on which the firm — for which he worked for 35 years — had entered bids.
Auditors found no evidence of preferential treatment by Cecil Schlecht, however. Pleading ignorance of guidelines, he resigned from the roofing firm’s vice presidency and removed himself from its profit-sharing plan, satisfying the state regulators.
Bria said on Tuesday she was saddened by news of Schlecht’s passing.
“He had a knack for being of good spirit and humor,” Bria said in a district news release. “Cecil always had the best interests of the students and the taxpayers at the top of his priority list.”
Schlecht is survived by his wife, Darcey Schlecht; his mother, Tekla Schlecht; and four brothers and two sisters.
A funeral service will be at 1:30 p.m. Thursday at the Old Apostolic Lutheran Church, 32320 N.E. Lewisville Highway.
Viewing and visitation will be from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday at the church.
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