DIXFIELD – The town office looked almost like a Frost family reunion Friday afternoon. Five brothers and two of three sisters turned out. But so did dozens of town officials and staff, friends and well-wishers.
It was a retirement party for Dexter F. Frost, a town public works employee for 44 years.
When Frost, a Dixfield native, began working for the town, Kidder Avenue was much shorter than it is now, and sanders were unheard of.
Over the years, the way public works projects are done has changed almost as much as office technology.
Frost’s first job was to pickup the rocks in advance of the bulldozer coming through when Kidder Avenue was extended. Kidder Avenue was his home for many years.
And sanding streets was a cold, rugged task.
Men would climb into the back of a sand truck, then shovelful by shovelful, throw sand onto icy roads.
“No one would do that nowadays,” said Frost. “It would be against the law. It wasn’t then.”
Frost, who is 65, said he’s enjoyed his work over the years. “There’s something different every day. I really liked running the loaders and the plows,” he said.
Charlotte Collins, deputy treasurer, has worked 26 of those 44 years with Frost.
“He’s a very honest person and townspeople think a lot of him,” she said. “We’ve hung the town Christmas wreaths and he’s a lot of fun.”
She said he was also helpful to the historical society. Whenever he found something during his work that he thought the society would want, he would bring it in.
“He was always on the lookout for us,” said Collins, who is also an active member of the Dixfield Historical Society.
The first thing Frost plans to do is go hunting with his eldest grandchild. Then he may spend more time on his hobby, drawing pencil portraits of family. He hopes to eventually draw all seven grandchildren.
He loves to fish and expects to do more of it.
When Monday morning comes, he said it will feel strange to not have to get up bright and early and come into the town garage. He thought he might sleep in, but decided against it. He’ll be out hunting.
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