MCIN file photo
Former Mineral County Commissioner Paul MacBeth passed away over the weekend at the age of 71. MacBeth was on the commission board from 2012-16.

This weekend brought news that former Mineral County Commissioner Paul MacBeth had passed away. He was 71.

A veteran and strong supporter of the Armed Forces, MacBeth strongly embraced the culture of Hawthorne, where he and his wife, Norma, called home after moving here to manage the local Safeway.

Avid in community involvement, MacBeth could be found volunteering with such ventures as Mineral County Chamber of Commerce as well as the annual Armed Forces Day celebration.

Not afraid to voice his opinion, MacBeth saw potential in Mineral County and its residents. As commissioner, he invited county employees and elected officials to “Coffee with a Commissioner”. Here he listened to issues and ideas that employees may have as well as concerns from elected officials.

It was during his tenure as county commissioner that the health of MacBeth took a turn for the worse. Even as his health declined, the love he had for the county was evident when he would attend the commissioner meeting via telephone.

Commissioner Jerrie Tipton told the Independent-News, “It was with great sadness that I learned of Paul’s passing. We will all miss him.”

Tipton is the only commissioner on the present board that served with MacBeth.

MacBeth would throw his hat back into the political ring, deciding to run another term against Hawthorne native Garth Price.

During candidates night at VFW 2313, MacBeth would stun those in attendance by explaining that due to his health, he was withdrawing his name from the race.

Instead of beating down his competitor, MacBeth would pull Price to the side and speak to him, man to man, about the position Price would now be claiming.

“I would just like to take the time to thank Paul for all the hard work he did for Mineral County during his time here. He will be truly missed. My heart goes out to his wife, Norma and the family,” Commissioner Price explained to the Independent-News.

Times and dates for the funeral and celebration of his life can be found in this week’s edition on page 7.