Two former councillors of the Town of Stephenville who died this week are being mourned and remembered by family and friends.
Don Tompkins and Joe Crane were active councillors who both served as deputy mayor during their tenure on council.
The two men each had their own personalities and stood up for what they believed in, or were opposed to, even though some of their decisions were not always met with open arms.
But isn’t that what makes each and every one of us individuals — standing up for what we believe in, even when it’s not the popular thing to do?
For reporters, it made for exciting times at the town council table when the opinions came to the forefront and everything was laid out right there in public. The one thing both these men had in aboundance was integrity and they placed the good of the community at the heart of all their decisions and actions.
Tompkins will be best remembered for stepping up to the plate with a significant donation to the renal dialysis unit at the Sir Thomas Roddick Hospital and challenging others to donate to it. Another significant contribution for him was heading up a project to stock a pond in Stephenville with Rainbow trout, which was popular with area anglers.
One of Crane’s greatest achievements was his involvements in Stephenville Minor Hockey, which in the early going accommodated young people from different communities in the Bay St. George area, and in minor hockey on a provincial level as well.
Another was his dedication to the Caribou Curling Club as a volunteer on the board, and ultimately, as its president. He always gave a full effort to these organizations regardless of what level he was serving at.
Both of these men will remembered for their work at the council table and their knowledge of policy, procedures and their interest in local politics. Each of them is to be remembered for helping to move Stephenville forward. This being a municipal election year, their lives and what they contributed to their community should held up as an example to current municipal politicians and those who plan on running for the first time.
