Holton passed away July 10 of this year. In Cassadaga, he will be most remembered for his compassion for others.

For all of his life, Holton cared deeply about social causes and the people in surrounding communities. He could always put a smile on someone’s face, even if it was a bad day.

Holton was a member of numerous Episcopal churches. He also served on many organizational boards, most recently as president for the Citizens for a Better Cassadaga and the Rotary Club of Dunkirk-Fredonia.

In Cassadaga, it all started for Holton when he went to the Cassadaga Village Board to discuss his feelings about Cassadaga becoming stagnant and not progressing. This idea turned into a planning board, which eventually morphed into the current activity board for the village called Citizens for a Better Cassadaga.

Holton was the president of the board for a long time, working with the rest of the board to plan festivals, events, and more activities for the village.

“Jim was so kind and cared so deeply for Cassadaga,” village board member Cindy Flaherty said. “He was really good at getting us organized — we’ve done countless things for Cassadaga. His idea sparked these amazing events.”

Another fact about Holton that his friends, family and coworkers know was his love for music.

“When he passed we decided to get the bench for the beach because he loved music so much,” Flaherty said. “He would always sit on the bench we already had at the beach and listen to the music, so we wanted one in memory of him.”

Mary Holton, his wife, loves the bench, Flaherty said. She is grateful for the new bench donated by the CBC board. Flaherty thanks the village Public Works department for installing the bench on the beach so Holton can always be remembered for listening to music and enjoying the concerts.