MARSHALL — Don Edblom was the kind of person who was willing to step up and help get a job done, local residents said Wednesday.

It was a trait that stuck with Edblom through nine years of service on the Marshall City Council, work with other city commissions, and beyond.

“He had a legacy of service to the community,” said Marshall Mayor Bob Byrnes. “He will be missed on the council.”

Edblom, a council member representing Marshall’s Ward 1, died at his home in Marshall on Tuesday. He was 65.

Byrnes said the city is planning to hold a special election in August to fill Edblom’s council seat. Because Edblom had more than 180 days remaining in his term, the city will need to hold an election instead of appointing a temporary council member, Byrnes said.

Edblom was a resident of Marshall since 1976. Over the years, he was a familiar presence for many customers at Alter Metal Recycling (formerly Becker Iron).

“He knew a lot of customers, and a lot of customers knew him,” said Denny Breczinski. “He always said hi to everyone as they walked in the door.”

Breczinski worked with Edblom for around 39 years, before Edblom retired in 2021. Edblom didn’t take a lot of time off from work, Breczinski said, but he did take time for his family, including his wife Linda and children Steve and Kim.

“He was always there for his family,” Breczinski said.

Edblom also had a long history of being involved with local government and services.

“He was in the midst of his third term on the City Council,” Byrnes said.

Edblom served two terms on the Marshall City Council, from 1993 to 2001, and started his third term in 2021. He also served on the city Planning Commission, and was a member of the Marshall Municipal Utilities Commission from 2003 to 2013.

“Don was always a person who came to the meeting very well-prepared,” Byrnes said. “He served the city thoughtfully.”

Edblom wasn’t the type of person to grandstand or try to grab attention, Byrnes said. “On the other hand, when he felt strongly on an issue he communicated that. You knew where he stood.”

Marshall City Administrator Sharon Hanson said Edblom showed his skill as a leader during times like a contentious Planning Commission meeting in 2019. The meeting drew a packed crowd of residents opposed to a pet treat business seeking to move to Marshall. But Edblom was “a master” at allowing members of the public to speak without letting the meeting get out of control, Hanson said.

Edblom was also active in local politics with the Lyon County DFL. Over the years, Edblom served roles including county DFL chairman, and even stepped forward as a Minnesota House candidate one year, said Marshall resident Tony Doom.

“He was a person of service,” Doom said. “He would always step up.”

“He was a real promoter of Marshall, and he wanted things to be better for everyone,” said Marshall resident Al Kruse.

Kruse said Edblom also had a great sense of humor, and compassion for other people.

Byrnes and Marshall city staff met Wednesday to go over city and state rules for filling a vacant city council position. While there have been times a council member has left office due to moving out of Marshall or their ward, Byrnes said the city hasn’t been in a situation where a council member died in office for at least the past 36 years.

“We’re governed by two things. One is the city charter, and one is the state statutes,” Byrnes said.

Under the Marshall city charter, the city must declare a vacancy on the council and hold a special election in Ward 1. Normally, the city would have opportunities in April, May or August to hold the election. However, with Minnesota going through redistricting this year, the rules have changed, Byrnes said.

Under state statutes, the only available times for the city to hold a special election this year are the second Tuesday in August, or at the general election, Byrnes said.

Byrnes said he plans to take the matter to the city council on March 8, and ask that they declare a vacancy and set an election date for Aug. 9.

“Our election officials will determine what the filing date is,” he said.

Services for Edblom will be held at 11 a.m. Monday at Cornerstone United Methodist Church in Marshall. Visitation will be from 3-7 p.m. Sunday at Hamilton Funeral Home in Marshall. Visitation will continue on Monday, one hour prior to services at the church.