The Arc of Essex County and Stepping Stones School lost a dear friend and long-time colleague with the passing of James Paden after a short illness.

James started working for The Arc of Essex in 1984 in Day Services and Respite Programs. In 2004, he transferred to the Stepping Stones School and continued in The Arc’s Hotel Respite Program.

“James was an amazing person: calm, compassionate, positive, caring, hardworking, and endearing to all,” says Stepping Stones Principal Sue Brand. “To say that James had a positive and unforgetable impact on the many students and staff at the school, as well as the participants of Hotel Respite and the Hotel Respite family, would be an understatement.  He was truly a special person who made all of our lives better, and he will be deeply missed.”

If you would like to make a donation to The Arc of Essex County in James’s memory, please visit our tribute donation page. Please note that your donation is in memory of James Paden; an acknowledgement of your tribute will be sent to his family members.