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BOONE COUNTY, MO. -- Update: Sept. 26 at 3:22 p.m.:

Ed Robb’s funeral arrangements are under the direction of Parker Funeral Service and the Reverend Phil Dewey.

Visitation will be held from 5-8 p.m. on Wednesday evening at the funeral home.

Funeral services will be held Thursday at 2 p.m. at the funeral home in Downtown Columbia.

Original Story:

The weekend death of Boone County Presiding Commissioner Ed Robb forced county officials to fill his void.

Robb died Saturday night after attending his son’s birthday party.

The remaining 2 county commissioners agreed to share the role of Presiding Commissioner until a permanent replacement is named.

Boone County Commissioners Karen Miller and Skip Elkin will alternate every week as the Acting Presiding Commissioner until the end of November.  It’s now up to Governor Jay Nixon to appoint a permanent replacement for Robb.  Miller and Elkin have also assumed Robb’s duties with the county’s economic development, chamber of commerce, human resources and information technology departments.  County Clerk Wendy Noren officially notified Governor Nixon of Robb’s death.  The democratic governor has the option of appointing a democrat to replace Robb who was a republican.

Miller said, “Let’s not talk about who is going to replace him.  Let’s think about the family and his life.  Let’s celebrate what he’s done for our community all of the years at the university as an economist and the state as a representative and his last few months here as a presiding commissioner.”

Commissioners said they will miss Robb’s sense of humor, and his help as a world known economist.

Elkin said, “To be able to go and ask about budgets and forecasts and revenues and just to lean on that expertise is probably unheard of at the county level.”

Governor Nixon has no time limit to find a replacement for Robb.  County Commissioners hope it’s sooner than later because they have to pass next year’s budget by January 15.

Ed Robb is survived by his wife Rosa and their 5 children.