BY JOE SCOTCHIE
The damp weather didn’t deter the numerous friends and admirers of Guy Frost from making the trek to the Bryant Library last Saturday for a humorous and heartfelt tribute to the legendary preservationist, who died earlier this month.
The Helen Glannon Room has seated to capacity as speaker after speaker remembered the man’s kindness, generosity and devotion to the historic Roslyn. The tributes came from both local residents and those from Bridgehampton, the Suffolk County village where Frost was also involved in preservation work.
Howard Kroplick, Town of North Hempstead historian, remembered Frost’s work in preserving Long Island’s automotive history, a subject also dear to Kroplick as the latter has published two books on that subject. Frost and Kroplick worked together for six years on preservation issues at the Town of North Hempstead and as with other speakers, Kroplick recalled Frost’s decisive leadership on whatever came the town’s way.
“I had a lot of respect for Guy,” Kroplick said. “He’ll be missed, but I’ll never forget him.”
Craig Westergard, the longtime board of trustee members had his own humorous memories of the racing buff. Westergard recounted that his wife and himself like to practice yoga as a form of meditation. Westergard once told Frost had he enjoyed this exercise because “you don’t have to think of anything else.” To which, Frost replied,”I like driving behind the wheel of a sports car. I’m not thinking of anything else, either!”
Robeert Dussault, one of Frost’s nephew’s, recalled how impressed he was his uncle’s many-faceted interests. “He was the coolest uncle I had,” Dussault said. Frost was an architect and this inspired Dussault’s mother to tell her son that being an architect also meant being a good mathematician all as a way to encourage her son to study that subject. Architects, Dussault’s mother reminded him, have to be precise on their mathematical formulations so that the buildings they design “don’t fall down.” Dussault added that even though he didn’t become an architect, he did turn out to be a pretty good mathematician.
Frost’s work in saving the Bridgehampton Racing Track for years to come after its planned demolition in the early 1980s was also praised by several speakers. The mortal man is gone, but testimonies to his life’s work live all around us.
