Summit County Executive Russ Pry passed away Sunday, July 31, after a brief battle with cancer.

The county’s statement described Pry, who served as county executive for nearly nine years, as a leader who helped restore stability in county government, led the county through an economic downturn, and created and kept jobs for thousands of people.

Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan said Pry had “an uncanny knack for empathizing and identifying with all people, regardless of age, race, gender, orientation, or creed, making him well-loved by all.”

County Council President Ilene Shapiro will be sworn in as interim county executive until the Summit County Democratic Party’s central committee appoints someone to serve for the remainder of Pry’s term. The term expires December 31.