Virginia lost a rare leader this week with the passing of Robert S. Bloxom Sr. of Mappsville.

In this highly polarized political climate, it’s hard to imagine someone willing to cross the aisle in a substantive and meaningful way.

But that’s precisely what the late Republican lawmaker did. The former state delegate accepted the position of Virginia’s first Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry when then-Governor Mark Warner, a Democrat, offered him the post. And he continued to serve under Warner’s successor, Tim Kaine—another Democrat.

Both men paid tribute to him after his passing. “Bob Bloxom was a true Virginian who always put the commonwealth first,” Sen. Warner said. “Bob Bloxom was the epitome of public servant—dedicated, kind, devoted to the beautiful Eastern Shore,” his junior colleague in the U.S. Senate added.

A lifelong Eastern Shore resident, he passed away on Sunday at his Accomack County home.

It was a quirk of fate that allowed Bloxom to serve the residents of Mathews County, and parts of Gloucester, for a time as their state representative. He was elected to the House of Delegates in 1977. In 1991, the 100th District was reconfigured, including that chunk of the Middle Peninsula. The district lines were redrawn again following the 2000 Census, removing the sections of Gloucester, but Mathews remained a part of the 100th until 2011 when it, too, was added to the 98th District.

From 1991 until he retired from the legislature in 2003, he worked just as tirelessly for his constituents in Gloucester and Mathews counties as he did for those on the Eastern Shore. He didn’t let geographic hurdles stop him from finding out what was on the mind of his Gloucester and Mathews constituents, with frequent visits.

Bloxom devoted his life’s work to public service, not ideological battles. He will be missed.