The Executive Director of Tourism Sarnia-Lambton says we've lost a community "gem."
Jim Richards, the owner of Stones 'N Bones Museum on Christina Street in Sarnia, passed away Monday, December 4, at the age of 82.
Mark Perrin said Richards will be deeply missed.
"He was always a happy-go-lucky guy, with a smile on his face, and full of ideas," Perrin said. "Whether it was writing some grant proposals together, or calling and talking about some of the programs or his experience, he was never shy to share his opinions and try to make things better for the community. Those people are gems that come along once in a lifetime."
Perrin said the museum Richards created has been such a great resource in the community.
"Jim's accomplishments with Stones 'N Bones are humongous in the area and it's been a great attraction, winning many TripAdvisor awards," said Perrin.
In 2019, Stones 'N Bones Museum received a Hall of Fame Certificate of Excellence, recognizing five consecutive years of consistently high ratings from travellers.
"[Richards has] been a long time member of our organization and our board," Perrin said. "I know he served well over ten years, a couple different stints of being a board member with Tourism Sarnia-Lambton. He always had positive outlooks and really worked on attracting visitors to the region and showcasing the museum that he and his wife built. He will be deeply missed."
Perrin said the museum, which had everything from backyard fossils, to gems, to dinosaur bones, has been a favourite among families and children for decades.
"Both Jim and his wife would just light up with the children that would come in, and Jim always had great stories to tell about every artifact in the museum. It's something that hopefully there's a way to move forward and carry on," he said.
Perrin said Richards wanted to keep the museum going.
"Looking at what might become of it, I know there were talks in the past about whether the county or the city would be interested in taking things over. I don't know how far those conversations went, but it's something to hopefully be discussed," Perrin said.
A celebration of life will be held at a later date.