Former Edmonton mayor Ivor Dent, shown in an undated photo, died early Monday at the age of 85. (CBC)

Ivor Dent has died.

Dent, 85, passed away early Monday morning at the Edmonton General Hospital, a family member said.

The former Edmonton mayor, who was predeceased by his wife, Aileen, leaves behind two brothers, four children and seven grandchildren.

The family has planned a memorial service for Sunday.

"Always sharp as a tack, always involved," his son, Charles Dent, said Tuesday. "Always a politician —whether he was involved in being a politician or working behind the scenes — he was always active in politics and loved politics."

"He was always wanting to give both sides of the question a fair hearing, and I think that was one of the determining factors of his stewardship," said former city alderman Una MacLean-Evans, who served with Ivor Dent during her eight years on city council.

Dent was born in Prince Albert, Sask., in 1924 and served in the Royal Canadian Air Force during the Second World War. He moved to Edmonton in 1952 and worked as a principal and assistant principal with Edmonton Public Schools.

After serving as an alderman for five years, Dent was elected mayor in 1968. He served a second term as mayor until he was defeated by Bill Hawrelak in 1974.

After his time as mayor, Dent went to Oxford University to study public administration. He also had a master of education degree from the University of Alberta and a PhD in educational administration from the University of Oregon.

Dent was made a member of the Order of Canada in 1984. He is also a former president of the Alberta New Democratic Party.

Public service a necessity, Dent taught his children

"He really relished being able to help people learn more about the world around them and he loved to challenge authority," Charles Dent said. "And that's what I think [was] one of the best things he taught me and my brothers and sister is not to accept authority without question."

Charles Dent followed his father into politics. He was first elected to the legislative assembly of the Northwest Territories in 1991, and served as a Yellowknife MLA and cabinet minister until he left politics in 2007.

"He always believed that we owed a debt of public service," Dent said. "For him, politics was a public service … and I think that's what he taught me is that we owe as much as we can possibly give of our time and effort to improve our society."

MacLean-Evans called Dent a fair and knowledgeable man, whom she supported when he decided to run for mayor for the first time in 1968.

At that time, much of the city's policies were set by the by the city's commission board and he wanted to change that.

"Dent had the opposite viewpoint that the role of city council was the creation of policy," MacLean-Evans said. "That was one of his great attributes."

One of Dent's greatest accomplishments was bringing the Commonwealth Games to Edmonton in 1978, but he was also a proponent for the implementation of a light rail system for the city.

Expanded parks system

Edmonton river valley parks system was also expanded during his tenure as mayor, MacLean-Evans said.

A former president of the Alberta NDP, Dent was also a member of the party's precursor, the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF).

"It is with great sadness that our party mourns the recent passing of Ivor Dent," Alberta NDP Leader Brian Mason said in a news release.

"As a member of the Order of Canada, first president of the Alberta NDP and former mayor of this great city, Ivor worked tirelessly to protect the interests of his community and the principles of social democracy. He will be greatly missed."

Charles Dent said his father had been suffering from aphasia and dementia, and had been a patient at Edmonton General since September.

However, his father had been out for a walk as recently as Friday, Dent said.