Former councilor Neil Seney remembered for always being ‘up for a chat’

Chatham-Kent has lost another original member of municipal council following amalgamation in 1998.

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Neil Seney, one of the first councilors to serve in South Kent, died Tuesday at the age of 84. He also served on the transition board that helped develop the framework for the new amalgamated Municipality of Chatham-Kent.

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Seney’s obituary stated the long-time farmer, “loved to reminisce about his years of growing tomatoes for Campbell Soup and his time as a county and municipal councilor.”

Former South Kent councilor Art Stirling posted on Seney’s online obituary: “I enjoyed every chance I got to discuss municipal politics and issues with Neil. His passion for community was obvious.”

Longtime friend Chuck Guyitt also posted: “Neil, you will be deeply missed. All the nights of discussions and talks and laughs at Campbell’s will always be cherished in remembrance of you and the good times we had with the others there.”

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Guyitt also recalled Seney sharing his experiences and challenges of sitting on the Chatham-Kent transition board.

Pastor Eric Skillings, who first met Seney 25 years ago, said he knew Seney enjoyed serving on municipal council and had a lot of acquaintances from that time.

“Neil farmed and Neil liked to talk about farming,” Skillings said Seney also enjoyed meeting knew people and learning about them.

Skillings recalled back in 2000 he and Seney were among a large group of friends who traveled to Prince Edward Island in motorhomes and trailers.

“He’d just start talking to farmers about what was farming like in PEI. . . that was Neil.”

The pastor also noted Seney was known to interrupt him during a church service if he thought he had good a story to tell about what was being discussed.

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But, if he had a difference of opinion, Skillings said Seney usually mentioned something on the way out of church.

“He would usually say, with a smile on his face, ‘Pastor I don’t necessarily agree with what you said this morning, but I guess we’ll have to agree to disagree.’”

Seney was an active lifelong member of St. Luke’s United Church and Merlin Legion, his obituary said.

“Neil was always up for a chat at any local coffee shop,” his obituary said.

Visitation will be held at the Blenheim Community Funeral Home, 60 Stanley St. in Blenheim on Friday from 2 pm until 4 pm and 6 pm until 8 pm A funeral service will be held at St Paul’s Congregational Church in Chatham on Saturday at 11 am

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