The Broken Arrow Republican had served the people of District 76 since 2011.

We knew him to be a man of faith and conviction, but also of gentleness and humility.

He was a man whose fundamental fairness allowed him to rise above faction. His peers had made him the chairman of the House Republican caucus, which is a sign of great trust in his ability to allow for broad debate when appropriate, but calm turbulent waters when that is needed.

Brumbaugh was a temporary politician. His sights were on permanent goals, priorities higher than public office, and that made him a special asset for the state.

Some of the most meaningful thoughts we have seen about Brumbaugh have come from his political opponents, who saluted his dedication to his constituents, his understanding of his own beliefs and his respect for all.

In Sunday’s paper, we criticized a bill Brumbaugh championed concerning the teaching of alternative theories in public school science classes. We don’t think the bill is good policy, but Brumbaugh did. If given the opportunity, we would have rephrased some of our thoughts, but news of the lawmaker’s death arrived after the article had been printed.

We regret any additional pain our words might have caused Brumbaugh’s family.

There is a lesson in this episode: Consider the impact of every word and don’t allow temporary passion on issues to blur compassion toward others. It’s a lesson that Brumbaugh’s public life shows he understood.

We offer our condolences to the Brumbaugh family. A husband, father and leader for the state, he will be missed.