Deer Isle Garbage Man Retires After Half A Century Of Work

DEER ISLE—For 53 years, Stanley Joyce has left his house every day, driven up and down the island in sun, snow, rain or wind, and collected the garbage of Deer Isle and Stonington residents. Now, at the age of 76, he has traded in that life for one of retirement.

- Monique Labbe

“I wasn’t planning on it, but the truck wasn’t going to pass inspection again, and I thought real hard about the next few years,” said Joyce while sitting at the table that served as his work station in his home on Sunshine Road. “I could’ve gotten a new truck no problem, but my body isn’t what it used to be, and if I were to fall or something things could get bad quick.”

Joyce got into the garbage pickup business in his 20s, taking over the business from his uncle Vaughn after his cousin was killed in a car accident. Joyce immediately got to work, but said the job was not one he envisioned as long term.

“I thought this would be good until something better came along,” he said. “That was over 50 years ago, so I guess nothing better ever did.”