After over 32 years on the job at the Town of Front Royal Public Works Department, Samuel L. Grimsley plans to retire on Dec. 1. The southern Warren County resident was honored for his three-decade career by the Front Royal Town Council at its regular meeting, Monday. (Oct. 24)
Grimsley began working for the town in Feb. 1990 as a laborer on a refuse truck crew before becoming a relief driver and eventually earning a spot as a full-time solid waste truck driver. In addition to driving that truck, he has been called upon during inclement weather to work 12-hour shifts driving a snowplow within town limits.
Despite being the driver on his truck, Sam is often seen exiting the truck and helping the workers who handle the “business end” of the truck. He said in an interview with Royal Examiner that he has always appreciated how hard his coworkers toil each day and that he doesn’t mind helping, as his department is faced with a shortage of workers at times.
He says he’ll miss his crew as well as the kind clients who have thanked him over the years, sometimes running out to his truck with a hot drink during the winter or a cold beverage during hot summer days. Sam says he will also miss seeing the children who wave excitedly at him as he travels down their streets.
Though the Town of Front Royal sometimes has a high employee turnover rate, Grimsley said that once he became an employee over 32 years ago, he decided to become a “company man.” His first job out of high school was working at Avtex Fibers in Front Royal. He began there in June of 1977 and was part of the team that stayed there to shut the plant down, working until the final day on Nov. 11, 1989. He briefly worked at Rappawan, Inc. before being hired by the Town. Job security—knowing he wouldn’t be laid off—was a big plus for him, he said.
Asked about his plans post-retirement, Sam said he’ll figure that out once he’s had a few days to get used to the slower pace. I’ll still get up at the same time,” he said. “Retirement won’t stop that!”
Watch the Town Council meeting here.
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