Many of you may have read that James Snyder passed away suddenly in New Zealand, his second home. You may have no idea who he was, other than his love and involvement with local arts and culture. He truly enjoyed working with so many people who made Chatham-Kent a better place to live.
I knew James for his love for the land and for his impact in the agriculture sector, not just here in Chatham-Kent, but across Ontario and Canada and in many parts of the world.
In past columns, I’ve discussed people who have helped guide me, not only as a person, but also in my agriculture career. James Snyder was one of them.
James was very proud of his British heritage. During my last visit, he took me through his downtown Chatham apartment, showing me every square foot — each of which had something of value to James.
I met James when I started working for the Municipality of Chatham-Kent. I was working with Ron Anderson, our agriculture specialist, with whom James worked closely trying to expand and add value to our agriculture sector. When Ron retired, James and I worked together on many projects.
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