Lepreau Native Wears Many Hats
Lyman Spear is a good man to have around because he is great at doing the dishes. The dishes he does however, are the electronic variety that bring television signals into people's homes. Lyman, a native of Lepreau, has been installing dishes since the inception of the industry in Charlotte County in 1982.
Lyman Spear at Smith's Restaurant in Pennfield (2004).
"Dishes were
available before we got them," says Lyman, "but the government said
you had to be isolated in order to use them. So they only made them available to
people in the far North. My argument was that I was just as isolated as the guy
in Inuvik because I couldn't get cable - only CHSJ."
Lyman's lobbying for a change in policy was successful and he
became one of the area's pioneers in installing dishes. "It took a minimum
of three days to install a dish back then," says Lyman. A yard and a half
of cement had to be run and a six inch well casing installed. The dish was
placed on this with the aid of a crane. The dishes weighed five to six hundred
pounds. The welding, pole hauling and cement pouring services used the services
of three to four men. "The cost of putting in a dish was five to six
thousand dollars," states Lyman.
Improvements were rapid with mesh dishes coming in at one
hundred and fifty pounds. Lyman began to wander far afield. installing thousands
of dishes in locations as far away as Bathurst and Hartland. "I only do
service work now," he says. "I enjoyed it though. Met a lot of nice
people."
Lyman R. Spear was born in Lepreau in 1933. In 1939 the
family moved to Montreal where Lyman lived for fourteen years. The family
returned to vacation in Lepreau twice every year and Lyman has fond memories of
the trips. He remembers passing through the old train station in McAdam. The
conductor would lift up on a stool so he could sit at the beautiful wooden
counter and eat ham sandwiches. He remembers the Rocket Richard playing in
Montreal. "Back then he was just a hockey player."
Lyman finished Grade eight in Lepreau and attended Saint John
Vocational School. He graduated in 1951 with skills in cabinet making and
carpentry. After a couple years in Toronto and Quebec Lyman took a job with NB
Tel as a central office technician. Later he attended community college and
earned his electrical qualifications. In 1962 Lyman began a thirty two year
period of employment with Canada Post. He retired in 1999.
Lyman Spear delivering mail in the first right
drive truck used to deliver mail.
Over the years Lyman has been involved in
many charitable activities. He teaches firearm safety and was Chief of the Point
Lepreau Warden System. The job of the wardens was to assist with any type of
emergency. Twenty wardens worked with the the fire department. The distributed
KI pills in case of a reactor leak.
Lyman was also involved with the Millen Project 2000. It's
intent is to honor the soldiers, living and dead of World War One and Two. The
Memorial is located at Musquash Fire Hall on Malcolm Mehan Road. This was
dedicated as a Heritage site in 2003.
Lyman laughs about interest Canada Post took in his adoption
of a right hand drive vehicle for delivering mail. "I was the first person
in Canada to use a right hand drive vehicle for delivering mail," he says.
"It was perfect. I drove an International Scout right hand drive and later
other mail carriers went to right hand drive too. It made the job a lot
easier."
Lyman has worn a lot of hats well throughout his career. Now
he is seeking to add another one by running for the Regional Health Authority in
the May 10 elections. Whatever the future holds for Lyman R. Spear it appears
that slowing down is not part of the plan.
Lyman R. Spear (2004).
Lyman R Spear (ca1936).
SOURCE: Homeport News (May 7, 2004 (Issue 2, Volume 1) - written by permission.
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