Tuesday, May 9, 2017
I met Chris Frost early in the 1980s, when I interviewed her for a position at R&B Enterprises, where I was responsible for the company publications and training activities. As these activities were growing, I needed someone to assist me and while I don’t remember any of the other applicants, Chris was my first choice, and lucky for me, she accepted the position. We worked together until I retired in 2004. Chris stayed on for another 4 or 5 years until she retired in 2008 or 2009
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After the interview, in checking with several of her references, one of the characteristics that emerged was that she appeared to be universally regarded as “the office mother”. Until one experiences this in a person, it’s often just not recognized as an important function in an organization.
I think that this characterization was spot on, and as our organization grew, this ability of Chris, to mentor and smooth the rough bumps that sometimes emerge in fellow employees, was what I remember most about her. Yes, she was a competent administrator, and she approached the demands and challenges of her daily activities in a mature manner, but office mother is probably something that one can never advertise for or even look for in a hiring situation. However, if you get it as a ‘bonus’ in a person, it’s a lucky break.
There have been only a few contacts with Chris in my 13 years of retirement, but when I often think about my 26 years with R&B Enterprises, almost all of which were with Chris as an colleague, I remember her fondly and I am saddened by her passing.
