Hampden man hasn’t lost his drive

BREWER – There is one person working in Brewer who considers himself a “couch potato” even though he’s 73 years old and still holds down a full-time job.

Frank Sonia Jr., who was born and raised in Bangor and now lives in Hampden, said he continues to work because he needs the money. Sonia is employed at Downeast Toyota/Buick on Wilson Street.

“I drive the customer courtesy shuttle,” he said. “I take people who are having work done on their cars to work, up to the mall or home. And we’ll go pick them up afterwards.”

Sonia, who works Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday for the car dealership, also makes bank deposits, drives to the post office and occasionally has to drive to pick up or deliver parts or other drivers.

“In those three days I get 31 or 32 hours,” he said. “It’s a good company because I’m considered full-time, so I get all the benefits.”

Sonia has a 15-year history with Downeast and has been driving for the company for the last nine years. Before that he was an auto-body painter, which is his life’s work.

Sonia started working when he was 14 years old at a grocery located at the corner of Broadway and Stillwater Avenue. When he was 16, he worked for Sears and Roebuck on Dutton Street.

It was while Sonia was working the candy counter at the former Bijou Theater that he met the love of his life, his wife, Elthier, who is a Brewer native. The couple will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on Sept. 3.

“I’m a foreigner,” she joked. “I’m from across the river.”

While Sonia was finishing high school, he was recruited by the U.S. Navy. He served for 18 months in the Reserves and was actually activated to serve in the Korean War.

“When I got out of the Navy, I went into painting,” he said. “A friend of mine was working at a paint shop under the GI Bill and he asked me if I wanted a job.”

For more than four decades, Sonia painted cars for a living.

“For 41 years I painted cars, trucks – what have you,” he said. “For 21 years I painted for Sullivan Ford Sales on Hammond Street.”

“That was his second home,” said his wife.

After Sullivan, Sonia continued to do auto-body work in and around Bangor.

“I even painted for Downeast for eight years,” he said. “I was working there part time when I retired.”

After six weeks of retirement, however, and “driving his wife nuts,” Sonia was back at Downeast.

“This job came up and I applied for it and got it,” he said.

Finances play a big part in Sonia continuing to work, especially since both he and his wife are diabetics and need daily medical supplies.

“To tell you the truth, I need the money,” he said. “With just Social Security it’s not quite enough. Basically, it’s the cost of living. If I wasn’t working, I don’t know what we’d do. I plan to work as long as I’m able.”

Sonia said he does enjoy the interaction with customers and the group of people he works for. Downeast Service manager Steve Kazmierczak said Sonia is perfect for the job.

“He’s 100 percent dependable,” Kazmierczak said. “The customers love him. He’s accurate and he knows the city streets very, very well. He helps customers and he’ll open doors for people. He’s lived in the area for most of his life, so he knows a lot of the people the customers know.”

During his days off, Sonia spends much of his time channel surfing.

“I’m a couch potato,” he said. “I like my TV. I always can find something to watch.”

Sonia attributes his healthful life to two factors.

“I never miss a meal,” he said. “And I guess I’m just lucky. There are people who exercise and all that, but I consider myself lucky to have lived this long.”