Vermont has lost a valued community leader. David Dill, former secretary of transportation and Lyndon selectman, died Thursday evening at his home following an illness. He was 68.
Dill moved to Lyndonville in 1990 after a long career in the Air Force, including a stint in the Department of Defense working on North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) issues. Associates say he brought the same passion he had shown on the national level to his state and local public service in Vermont.
Dan Hill, a former municipal administrator for Lyndon, says Dill was always a pleasure to work with.
“He was very curious, and not just about town affairs ... He had a very curious mind. He wanted to know about a lot of things, which made it fun to be around him,” Hill said.
Dill’s Lyndon legacy includes improvements to the water system and library, and the restoration of a downtown block gutted by fire.
“And he was dedicated to Lyndon. Very dedicated. He was involved in the chamber [of commerce], he was involved in a development corporation; he really did care very deeply about the town,” Hill added.
He said he was also grateful to Dill for helping him ease into the municipal administrator job Dill once held himself.
Former Gov. Jim Douglas remembers Dill as a talented transportation secretary who knew how to stretch limited resources.
Dill loved boating and gardening. He is survived by his wife, Vicki, and their three children. Funeral services will be held at the First Congregational Church in Lyndonville on March 7.
