Buncombe County commissioner Mike Fryar died Sunday at the age of 72. A post on his campaign's Facebook page says he died at Mission Hospital in Asheville surrounded by family and friends. A cause of death was not released.
The Republican was first elected to represent District 2 on the board of commissioners in 2012. He won reelection in 2016, and had declared his candidacy to run for a third term in the 2020 election on the next to last day of candidate filing in December.
A statement from Buncombe County noted Fryar attended A.C. Reynolds High School in Asheville, before serving in the U.S. Navy. Fryar owned his own engine business, Fryar Performance, after working for NASCAR driver Banjo Matthews. "Mike’s imprint on our organization and the community at-large is undeniable," said Buncombe County manager Avril Pinder in a statement. "He leaves a legacy of having an unwavering dedication of making life better for everyone in Buncombe County."