Dutchess County road crews remember North East’s former Highway Superintendent

MILLERTON — Highway Superintendents and road crews from across Dutchess County came together for a tribute to Bob Stevens on Friday at the North East Town Garage on Route 22.

Stevens served as the Highway Superintendent for the Town of North East for 28 years. He died suddenly on March 30.

The lunch served as a venue for Stevens’s colleagues in road crews across the county to remember him and praise his legacy of service. Stevens worked for North East’s road crew for 40 years, mostly as the superintendent.

Todd Martin, president of the Highway Superintendent’s Association of Dutchess County, said Stevens was eager to assist others at all times. He remembered Stevens would lend trucks to neighboring communities during times of need.

“If you needed something or didn’t know something, you’d call Bob,” Martin said. “He’s a really good guy. He’s going to be very missed.”

Martin and the superintendent’s association organized the gathering, providing food from Stevens’s favorite spots — Talk of the Towne Deli in Millerton and Deano’s Pizza in Lakeville, Connecticut.

Town and county officials kicked off lunch with brief remarks and a prayer from the Rev. Dr. Anna Crews-Camphouse.

Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino and Deputy Executive Gregg Pulver also spoke about Stevens. Serino said that, although she didn’t know Stevens personally, she admired his service to the Town of North East. Pulver praised his work to construct the town garage on Route 22 that became the new home of the North East Highway Department in 2024.

“He didn’t care about it for himself,” Pulver said. “He cared about it for his guys.”

Following the remarks, the visiting road crews dined on sandwiches, shrimp, Swedish meatballs and a cake inspired by oatmeal cream pies — a Little Debbie snack cake that Stevens always kept at hand. Martin explained the buffet was inspired by Stevens’s frequent meals at Deano’s and Talk of the Towne. The Swedish meatballs, Martin said, were a frequent homemade comfort food.

“So we had somebody in town make a whole big crock pot of Swedish meatballs,” Martin said. “It’s all their comfort foods.”

North East Town Supervisor Chris Kennan thanked the superintendent’s association for organizing the gathering. He described Stevens as a kind, considerate and private man, and said the gathering of road crew colleagues was an appropriate honor.

“Bob’s dedication to the Highway Department and to the Town of North East — to its roads and its residents — was legendary,” Kennan said. “He gave much more than he received.”