Tim Walton joined Independence Township Department of Public Works on Aug. 25, 1975, retiring Oct. 1, 2010.
“Thirty-five years – I must have liked it here, ’cause I stayed so long,” Walton said at his retirement luncheon.
He plans to go to Colorado, where he has family, to retire.
“I’ll do anything I want, within reason,” he said.
A red head, he got the nickname “Red Dog” early in his career.
“When I started, I grew a beard and mustache, and I had long hair ? used to have,” he said. “I never grew a beard before or since. It was something I had to do once. Bugged me after a while and I shave it off.”
Through decades of development in the township, Walton did just about every job required of the department, said Jeff Cooper, who’s known him for 22 years.
“He’s a hard worker ? any job he does, he does it 150 percent,” Cooper said.
“He’s dedicated to the job, the full extent of the job,” said Brian Benway, who’s known him for about 15 years.” “He will be missed.”
“We’re all going to miss him,” said Linda Richardson, DPW director, who started working with him 34 years ago. “He’s a perfectionist. On any project, he’d make sure it was done right.”