Dale Williamson
Collision Service Adviser
Sterling Autobody Centers – West Chester, Philadelphia, Pa.
How long have you lived in Philadelphia?
My whole life – 48 years!
Are you a Phillies fan?
Yes. I just got my picture taken with Phillies legend Dutch Daulton, who unfortunately just got diag-nosed with brain cancer. He got diagnosed five days after we hung out. I’ve always been a big fan of Dutch.
Are the Phillies your favorite team?
No, the Eagles are. My house is all Eagled up – banners, signatures, helmets, stuffed animals, etc.
Do you have the Eagles mailbox, too?
I do not. But I do have the Eagles foam brick that you can throw at the TV when they make a bad play. You don’t want to throw a real brick through your 70-inch flat screen.
What did you think of Michael Vick?
I was not a fan. I’m a dog lover, so that stuff that happened with him turned me off.
Do you own a dog?
I did in the past: Danny, died Oct. 23, 1977. Dogs need devotion and time, and I work 12 to 13 hours a day, sometimes seven days a week. My wife is a cat person so we’re doing the cats until the day comes when we can devote the time a dog needs.
How long have you and your wife been married?
Going on 30 years now. We got married on St. Patrick’s Day. I’m a little Irish, she’s half Irish. Philadelphia has a parade, but we don’t go. Everyone parties on our anniversary, we say, not St. Patrick’s Day.
As far as cheesesteaks go, is it Geno’s or Pat’s for you?
Neither. Jim’s is my preference. But I like them all to be honest – I’m a big fan of the cheesesteak in general.
We hear you had a restoration project at one time.
Yes, it was a 1973 Sun Bug. I had it for 15 to 20 years but then recently sold it to someone because I didn’t have the time to devote to it and figured I would let someone else enjoy it. The good thing was I got my garage back!
What is your favorite part of your job?
The people. One time, I had just finished cutting the grass when an elderly woman I call my ‘third mother’ called and told me she ran over a big stick and her car was leaking fluid everywhere. I told her to meet me at work, so I went over there in my street clothes and handled the claim for her and got her a rental and off she went. She was thrilled. And that’s what I live for.
