CHAMPION — Friends and colleagues are mourning the unexpected death Tuesday of longtime Champion Board of Education member Roger Samuelson.

Samuelson, 79, was in his 26th year on the board. He had been hospitalized after falling ill recently, according to school officials.

Samuelson missed Monday’s school board meeting — a rare occasion — and board members learned he had been hospitalized with pneumonia at the Cleveland Clinic.

”Roger was the epitome of the Champion school system and township. He was one of the finest men I have ever known and was a great mentor to me. His passing is a tremendous loss,” said board President Kelly Boyle, who served with Samuelson four four years.

Boyle said Samuelson was always looking out for the students and kept informed of legislative matters related to the schools.

Champion Schools Superintendent Pamela Hood said Samuelson ”epitomized the best in being a school board member. He was committed to the students, parents, staff and community that elected him to the board …”

Hood said Samuelson was very knowledgeable of all aspects of the school business from transportation, facilities, finance, sports and educational programming.

”His passing is a significant loss to the school district. He will be missed more than words can express,” Hood said.

Samuelson, who graduated from Champion schools, was first elected to the board in 1991 and served as president five times. He was the board’s legislative liaison and attended the annual state Board of Education conference held in Columbus each fall.

Samuelson was selected by the Ohio School Boards Association to represent the 17th Congressional District at the National School Boards Association meeting in Washington, D.C., from 1999 to the present.

In addition, Samuelson served as Champion’s representative to the Trumbull Career and Technical Center from 1998 to the present and served as the technical center’s board president and vice president.

Tim Arbogast, Southington school’s representative to the technical center board, said Samuelson was dedicated to the schools.

”He was nothing but 100 percent for the students,” Arbogast said, noting Samuelson was very dedicated as a Trumbull Career and Technical Center board member.

”He was the ultimate professional and always supportive of the schools, no matter what school system it was,” said Rocco Nero, Southington schools superintendent and formerly Bristol schools superintendent, who knew Samuelson during those years.

Trumbull Career and Technical Center Superintendent Jason Gray was informed late Tuesday of Samuelson’s passing by a family member.

”This is a great loss to many. He championed public schools and its students for over 25 years,” Gray said.

Gray said family members told him they are working on arrangements, with calling hours possibly on Sunday, with funeral and burial on Monday. He said Samuelson would have turned 80 on April 29.

Samuelson, who was retired from Packard Electric, was a member of St. William Church in Champion.

Among Samuelson’s honors was the Champion Rotary Club’s Senior Citizen of the Year Award in 2015 and the Champion Schools C.C. Kiser Award for Community Service in 2016.

bcoupland@tribtoday.com