DENVER — State Rep. Hugh McKean (R), minority leader in the Colorado House of Representatives, will lie in state Thursday afternoon in the State Capitol following a memorial service.
He died unexpectedly from a heart attack on Oct. 30. A memorial service for him took place at that capitol starting at 11:30 a.m.
Afterward, Colorado House Republicans said McKean will lie in state in the rotunda for public viewing between 1 and 5 p.m. A military honor guard will be present and there will be formal arrival and departure ceremonies.
The short ceremony included the McKean family, state legislators, and remarks from Gov. Jared Polis, former Gov. Bill Owens, House Speaker Alec Garnett, and the newly elected House Minority Leader.
Watch a replay of the memorial service below:
The McKean family will also hold a church and celebration service Saturday, Nov. 12 starting at 11 a.m. at Resurrection Fellowship Church, at 6502 E. Crossroads Blvd. in Loveland.
All events are open to the public.
Polis ordered flags to be lowered to half-staff in McKean's honor on the day of the memorial service.
McKean was first elected to the Loveland City Council in 2009, before being elected to represent Colorado House District 51, which covers a portion of Larimer County including Loveland, in 2016.
He was elected as Leader of the Colorado House Republican Caucus in 2020.
As the minority leader in the House, McKean worked to rebuild the Republican caucus through a time when Democrats held a strong majority. He had just won a contentious primary election and was set to continue leading the Republican caucus in the next session.
According to the Colorado Secretary of State's Office, McKean was running unopposed in the upcoming election after defeating challenger Austin Hein in the Republican primary.
A vacancy committee established by the Larimer County Republican Party will fill McKean's seat within 30 days. That person will serve the full two-year term, the Secretary of State's office said.
"Hugh was fiercely passionate about two things in his extraordinary life; serving the great state of Colorado and spending time with his family, whom he adored -- Aiden McKean, 21, Hanna McKean, 23, and his dearest partner and friend Amy Parks," Colorado House Republicans said in a statement announcing his death.
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