There have been times where writing this column has been a challenge, usually because finding an idea sometimes requires a lot of brain racking.
However, no column has been more difficult to write than this one.
Usually words are not something I struggle with. I suppose more than two decades as a newspaper journalist have at least given me that.
But this week the right words seen to escape me.
This week I want to write about one man, and who he has been in the years I have known him.
Like most, summing up a man in a few words is not easy, and that is certainly the case here.
I'll start by saying that Sheldon Nicholson was first and foremost a good guy.
So when I learned last week Sheldon had died as the result of a stroke I was greatly saddened. Yorkton had lost one of the nicest men you were likely to meet.
I can't recall ever running into Sheldon where he didn't have a smile, and the time to talk, and that talk in our case usually turned to agriculture.
I first met Sheldon years ago when he took over as manager of Heartland Livestock in the city, a position he has held ever since.
The man knew cows and he knew markets, and he was always ready to help me understand what was happening in terms of markets, and how that related back to farmers and ranchers locally. He became a valued contact because of that.
But there was more to Sheldon.
Trained as an auctioneer the man competed in auctioneering contests on a regular basis, and he did well. That meant more stops at his office to talk about those experiences, and to write more stories.
I suppose in my case I often think of people in terms of interviews. Sheldon was a good one. He was articulate, and willing to share his views, even at times when they might not have been what everybody else was saying. That made him good press.
But as the number of stories grew, from comments on cattle markets, to business reviews of Heartland Livestock to working with recently arrived employees from Mexico, I just grew to like Sheldon as a person.
As things sometimes turn out Sheldon also liked supporting agriculture and the community, so he became involved with the Yorkton Exhibition Association.
Since the YEA is heavily involved in agricultural events, the spring bull sale, Harvest Showdown, and related areas such as rodeos and standardbred racing, I spent a considerable amount of time at the local fairgrounds, although nothing like the time Sheldon donated to the Association, and its events.
Sheldon, like many, put in countless hours to makes sure the events ran smoothly, and Yorkton and East Central Saskatchewan had a range of things to take in and enjoy.
Yet, again as busy as Sheldon might be, he always had that smile of his on under the cowboy hat, and he always had time to talk.
It will not be quite the same at the summer fair, or Friday night standardbred racing without Sheldon being part of it.
I can only imagine the heartache his family and closest friends are feeling over his loss at age 45. My condolences to you all.
Just know others feel the loss too.
The community has lost a valued volunteer and agriculture a good friend.
And while I started out knowing him as a work contact, I too feel I have lost more than someone I occasionally quoted in the paper.
Sheldon Nicholson you will be missed.
