WINDSOR, ONT. -- A former Windsor city councillor is being remembered as a proud Windsorite, an avid golfer and a founding member of one of the city’s oldest minor sports associations.

Tom Wilson died on Sunday after battling a chronic lung condition called Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, according to a post on Facebook by his family.

Funeral arrangements are still being worked out.

Friends, family and former coworkers are mourning his loss on Monday and reflecting on his contributions to the community.

“Tom was one of the founding members of Forest Glade baseball,” said Brian Adlam, past president of Forest Glade Baseball.

In honour of his contributions, a baseball field is named after Wilson in the area.

“Tom was one heck of a guy and we’re going to miss him,” said Adlam, while standing in front of Tom Wilson Field.

Adlam said Wilson’s involvement in his neighbourhood made him a good politician.

“You need to be aware of what was going on in a given community and Tom was right here in this community, knew what was needed and he then put a pitch in for it,” says Adlam.

Wilson was first elected to Windsor city council in 1985, when he was a public school teacher.

Former mayor Eddie Francis says he was lucky to have Wilson on council when he was first elected as mayor.

“They don’t make politicians like Tom Wilson anymore,” says Francis.

When he won in a councillor by-election in 1999, Francis said Wilson was first to congratulate him.

“He took me under his wing, there at Riverside library, we went behind the books, and he was giving me some sound advice, saying hey it’s going to get crazy, you just got something and got elected to something, I’m here for you, whatever you need, I’ll be here for you,” says Francis.

Gordon Orr, CEO of Tourism Windsor-Essex Pelee Island says he will remember Wilson as a friend, and not just a past board chair of TWEPI.

“He would just love to talk up Windsor to whoever he would meet,” says Orr.

Wilson was an avid golfer and on any trip for tourism work, Orr says he would drive instead of flying so he could golf along the way.

But Orr said Wilson never took the sport too seriously.

“No matter how bad or good it was, he would cheer you on because he was enjoying the outdoors and he was enjoying the people he was with,” added Orr.