David Layman was called a "good mediator."

• Sign the guest book for David Layman

David Layman, longtime chairman of the 6th Congressional District Democratic Committee, died Tuesday after suffering a heart attack during a meeting of that group in Lexington.

"He died doing what he loved," said David Lipes, a Roanoke College senior who is the political director for Sam Rasoul. Rasoul is campaigning for the Democratic nomination to challenge incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Bob Goodlatte this fall.

Layman was the authority to whom district Democrats went when they needed help.

During the last week of January, a meeting of the Roanoke County Democrats was, as it had been in weeks past, stalled by conflicts.

As tensions rose, Layman stood and spoke for several minutes in an attempt to calm the proceedings. According to reports in The Roanoke Times, he was there to observe -- not referee -- but he went over the issues, cited similar recurring disputes from years past and determined that although mistakes had been made, "they've been done with honest intent behind them."

The meeting remained contentious, however, and Layman expressed his frustration and revealed the cost of infighting -- during the six weeks the group had been distracted by disagreements, he said, "I probably could have raised $50,000" for Democratic candidates.

"He was a good mediator. He had a very cool head and could get his point across without being offensive," said Ann Layman, his wife of more than 40 years. "He needed to follow the rules. He believed the rules were there not to be broken."

Richard Cranwell, chairman of the Virginia Democratic Party, said Layman "served the 6th District for, gosh, it seems like to me most of my life."

"He was a loyal, loyal friend for the Democratic party."

Layman lived in Buchanan and worked for Verizon for 33 years, where he also served as president of Local 2204 Communication Workers of America. He retired in 1999 but, in addition to remaining active in politics, continued to work with the CWA as support staff for Local 1104 of New York.

"He was always a discerning hand at strategy, problem-solving and politics," said Kathleen Sims, executive vice president of the New York group's education division. She said Layman held a position on the defense fund oversight committee and the members' relief fund. "This is CWA's multibillion-dollar strikers defense fund. With all the unassuming air he always carried, he had quite the influence."

Health problems slowed but seemed not to discourage him, Ann Layman said. She said he suffered from diabetes for many years, had experienced a heart attack and three strokes, the last of which was four years ago and required the insertion of a stent into his brain.

"They gave him a 50-50 chance to make it at that point," she said. "From that point on, we feel like we got a second chance for just doing a lot more living."

She said "grandchildren ... became his main recreation," and though he decided not to game hunt anymore, "his office is on the back of our house, so his hunting was sitting out back and watching the deer and the turkey go by."

Despite his illnesses, he reportedly remained optimistic about the future.

"He thought this year was going to be an outstanding year for Democrats," Ann Layman said. "He wanted so badly to see the party do well in the fall.

"I told my children last night if it was possible to get an absentee ballot, he would be casting his vote."

Staff writers Cody Lowe and David Harrison contributed to this story.