A former Premier who worked very closely with the late John Crosbie is remembering him as a “towering figure” of both the province and the country.

Clyde Wells worked alongside Crosbie as members of Joey Smallwood’s cabinet in the 1960s, and were praised in 1968 when they resigned from their portfolios in protest over issues regarding the Come By Chance oil refinery.

Wells says he had the “great good fortune and major challenge” of working with Crosbie in the public eye, and while he can’t forget their differences his greatest memories of him are of when they were working together.

Wells notes that, aside from Joey Smallwood, Crosbie has had the most extensive impact on the province out of anyone.

He says Crosbie had an incredible drive, and the bigger the challenge the more eager he was to begin work on it.

Crosbie’s remains will be lie in state at Confederation Building on Tuesday and Wednesday, with his funeral scheduled for Thursday afternoon at the Anglican Cathedral in St. John’s.