I am honoured to give a short eulogy for our fellow Rotarian and good friend, Clayton Red Switzer. The nickname Red, of course, is because of his bright red hair and freckled complexion.
I first met Clay on June 15th 1971 when I was in Guelph for a job interview at the Ontario Agricultural College. Clay was Associate Dean of Agriculture at the time responsible for hiring new faculty. The interview must have gone well because before I left his office I had a job offer which I accepted on the spot. That was the beginning of a long professional and personal relationship with Clay.
Clay was a larger than life person both physically and in personality. Clay was a tall, strong, athletic man. In his youth he was a legendary fastball pitcher. He threw the ball so fast hardly anyone could get a hit off him. This earned him a spot in the Guelph Athletic Hall of Fame. And somewhat later he was a competitive golfer who could hit the ball a mile straight down the fairway. I played many games of golf with him and it wasn’t until last year when he was 94 that I finally beat him!
His personality was also larger than life. I don’t think I ever saw him without a huge smile on his ruddy face. He charmed anyone who met him, and he was the centre of attention in any gathering. Not because he wanted to be, but because people wanted him to be. There is a difference between the two.
Clay was not a distinguished academic. That was not his strong suit. He was a very distinguished academic administrator. Under his leadership as Dean of the OAC for ten years, the college saw tremendous growth and solidified its rating as one of the top ten ag schools in the world. When his term as Dean was completed, he was asked to accept the position of Deputy Minister of Agriculture in Ontario. He held this demanding job until his retirement from public service.
Clay was also a great Rotarian. He was proposed to Rotary in 1989 by Bill Stevens. For years he was Chair of our now defunct Rural Urban Committee, he was a member of the Canada- Scottish Rotary Curling team and volunteered his time and talents to many Rotary projects. A few years ago he was named a Rotarian for Life.
Clay’s list of awards and recognitions is long as you might expect. But the list of people he has interacted with who have the highest regard for him is enormous.
Of course its sad to say goodby to such a good friend, but we have all been enriched because we knew him.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Sunday, August 4, 2024, 2-5 pm in the Village Centre, at Village By The Arboretum, 221 Stone Rd. E., Guelph.