Longtime Northgate School Board member Charles Miklos died last weekend.

Miklos, 81, of Bellevue, died Sunday, July 4, 2010 while with family on vacation.

Vacations were never something that stopped Miklos from participating in Northgate School Board business during his 26-year tenure. For many years he made sure to call in from his vacation home in Conneaut so he could be a part of meetings.

His love of Northgate and its school board kept his name on the ballot over the last quarter-century. During the elections last year, Miklos filed for two different board seats -- one for a four-year term and the other a two-year term. He won both.

Her served as president of the school board three different times, and currently was vice president. He also chaired the buildings and grounds committee for much of his time on the board. Miklos and his wife, Mary, started the Northgate Reading is Fundamental (RIF) program, and Miklos was part of a committee that brought breakfasts to the Northgate cafeteria.

A graduate of North Catholic High School, Miklos was retired as a bus driver with the Port Authority, but continued driving buses for Lenzner Tours.

He is survived by his wife, Mary Lowrie Miklos; seven children, Suzan Miklos Hunt and her husband Robert of Bellevue, Paul Miklos and his wife Susan of Grove City, Frank Miklos and his wife Trudi of New Sewickley Twp., Helen Miklos of Bellevue, Marjorie O'Malley and her husband Dan of Avalon, Erik Miklos and his wife Leslie of Washington, PA and Robert Miklos of Bellevue; his sister, Patricia Ditmore of Havre de Grace, MD; 18 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by two sons, Charles R. Miklos Jr. and Edwin C. Miklos; and his sister, Lois Snyder.

Friends were received at McDonald-Linn Funeral Home, Avalon. A Mass of Christian Burial was held in Sacred Heart Church in Emsworth on Thursday.

The Northgate School Board will hold a special meeting on Monday, July 19, to choose someone to fill the vacant board seat. Letters of interest must be submitted to the administrative office by Friday, July 16, to be considered for the position.