Henrico County is honoring the memory and service of longtime Three Chopt District Supervisor David A. Kaechele, who died early this morning at the age of 85. Mr. Kaechele served Three Chopt in western Henrico for 36 years — the longest term of any supervisor under Henrico’s modern form of government — before retiring at the end of his ninth term in December 2015.
In appreciation for Mr. Kaechele’s service, County Manager John A. Vithoulkas ordered the Henrico flag to remain at half-staff at all county facilities through sunset Friday, Jan. 27. Vithoulkas announced Mr. Kaechele’s passing in an email to county employees this morning.
“It is with a very heavy heart that I report to you the passing of Mr. David A. Kaechele, who served as the Three Chopt supervisor for 36 years,” Vithoulkas wrote. “Mr. Kaechele was a consummate gentleman and had the interest of Henrico and its employees at the forefront throughout his tenure. Every county employee – past, present, and future – owes a debt of gratitude to Mr. Kaechele. It is often said that we stand on the shoulders of others, and this was clearly the case with David A. Kaechele.”
A native of Allegan, Mich. and a graduate of Michigan State University, Mr. Kaechele was a retired development engineer for Reynolds Metals Co. and a U.S. Army veteran. Recognized widely as an amiable, steady leader, Mr. Kaechele joined the Board of Supervisors in January 1980 after winning election to the open Three Chopt seat.
During Mr. Kaechele’s tenure as supervisor, Henrico and Three Chopt, in particular, underwent tremendous development and change. Once mostly rural, the area is now a thriving center of activity, with Innsbrook and other corporate centers, a variety of retailers, restaurants and hotels as well as parks, other amenities and a variety of housing types.
Mr. Kaechele’s résumé includes nine appointments as chairman and eight as vice chairman of Henrico’s board as well as dozens of appointments to local, regional, state and national boards and commissions. After retiring as supervisor, he continued to represent Henrico on the Richmond Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
The Henrico School Board honored Mr. Kaechele’s service in 2012 in the naming of David A. Kaechele Elementary School, which opened in fall 2013 on Pouncey Tract Road. He received the 2015 Henrico County Leader of the Year Award from the Henrico Business Council of the Greater Richmond Chamber, which is now ChamberRVA.
