Clay was one of the most honorable gentleman I ever worked with. As sincere as any man I’ve ever met. We quickly became good friends.
We spent a great deal of time together, whether we were in our region or down to meetings. Probably the most vivid memory I have of Clay was we were at breakfast in Vancouver. We were down there for some meetings, and he got the call about the mine closure. It was devastating. We’re sitting there together and I watched his face as he took the phone call.
Upon hanging up, he informed me what it was, and the first thing out of his mouth after he finished telling me what happened was: “we’re gonna make this work. We’re gonna make sure Tumbler Ridge survives as a town. We are going nowhere.”
After receiving that information as an elected official, his first thought was for the community and the people who lived there. He was going to make sure the town continued.
I think that embodies who he was. He was all about working for others. We developed a great friendship over the years and it’s sad to think that he’s gone, but to reflect on all the good he did—not just for Tumbler Ridge, but for our region—is incredible.
You never know what somebody is feeling inside, but certainly I got a pretty good indication of the man who he was when his first thought was for the community and the people who live there.
We talked about what we could do, and I offered our full support as a the community of Dawson Creek. I knew I spoke for the region at the time when I said we were going to work together to do what we could, but Clay never wavered. He never wavered in his belief that this was not the end of the community but a new start. He never wavered in his conviction that the people of Tumbler Ridge would make it work somehow and I give him full credit for being one of the gentlemen that has kept that community going.
I don’t remember the last time I saw him. It was far too long ago. We would run into each other every once in a while, or exchange the odd phone call.
In politics—as in anything we do—the bonds we form with some is greater than others and his friendship was amazing. I had a great deal of respect for Clay. My thoughts and prayers go to his family and friends and he will be remembered fondly.
