Ocean City School Board Member Dies After Collapsing at Meeting

Audrey Eichenberger collapsed Monday night during a special meeting of the Upper Township Board of Education and died soon afterward.

The cause of death was still unclear on Tuesday morning, but friends and family throughout Ocean City were mourning the loss.

Eichenberger was an Ocean City native, a former Upper Township teacher and a sales associate with Ocean City's Goldcoast Sotheby's International Realty. She was also an appointed Upper Township representative on the Ocean City Board of Education. 

"The kids were everything to her," said Mayor Jay Gillian, who served on the Ocean City Board of Education with Eichenberger. "She was a very popular teacher. She always fought for the Upper Township kids, and when she got to Ocean City for everybody."

"She always told you where she was," Gillian continued. "There was no gray area. She was a good person. It's a big loss for both school systems."

A message posted on the Ocean City School District website on Tuesday afternoon reads: "Our School Board and School District are deeply saddened with the sudden loss of Audrey Eichenberger, Ocean City School Board member. Her tireless efforts on the school board and as an educational leader in our community were focused on doing what is best for each child. We extend our heartfelt sympathy to Audrey's family and dearest friends. Audrey will be greatly missed. Sadly, we've lost a true champion for students."

Burt Wilkins, Eichenberger's colleague at Goldcoast Sotheby's, said she was "all about helping people." He said she was born and raised in Ocean City and has three daughters in town.

"It's awful," said Peter Madden, president of the Ocean City Board of Education. "She really did care about the kids."

Madden said it was perhaps fitting that Eichenberger died while serving the schools.

Eichenberger was one of three representatives of Upper Township on the Ocean City Board of Education. The Upper Township Board of Education appoints the Ocean City representatives from among its own ranks for one-year terms.

Eichenberger had been seeking re-election to the Upper Township board in the April 27 election.

Laurie Ryan, business administrator for Upper Township schools, said Tuesday that it was still unclear if the board would appoint a replacement before April 27. If not, Eichenberger's successor would be chosen at a May reorganization meeting in Upper Township.