There is a void at the Roanoke Rapids Recreation Department today.

The man affectionately known as Hot Dog, a fixture at T.J. Davis for 42 years, died Wednesday.

“Although he didn’t get paid, he was one of our best employees,” former parks and recreation Director Chris Wicker said of Pat Carter. “We learned early if Pat said to check on it, we needed to check on it.”

Wicker recalled a busy day years ago where Carter, 51, insisted there was a problem. Wicker finally yielded and discovered the pool was about to overflow.

He never took Carter’s admonitions lightly again. “He’d let us know there was broken glass on the tennis courts or somebody was misbehaving. Even though he had his special issues, he was smart and attentive.”

Fridays in the Park were one of Carter’s favorite activities in the city, Wicker said. “He’d always come by and wanted to get hot dogs. He was a very special guy.”

Carter carries cones at Doyle Field.

Carter was already established as a parks and rec figure when Wicker arrived in 1983. “He was a fixture when I came so I would probably say he grew up here.”

Current Parks and Recreation Director John Simeon arrived in Roanoke Rapids in 1995. “Pat would always come in with a smile on his face and laugh and joke with the staff. We always felt like a family with Pat.”

Pat’s routine was usually to arrive at T.J. Davis around 4:30 p.m., making rounds between the recreation center, the aquatic center and Doyle Field. “He was another set of eyes and ears for the recreation department.”

Simeon said Carter was a man with a big heart. “He enjoyed the kids and speaking with all the people who came to the facility.”

Carter was always included in staff parties and if there was something going on beyond closing time, Simeon would make sure Hot Dog’s mother knew he was going to be out late. “I’m going to miss him.”

Last Thursday was the last time Simeon spoke with Carter. “It was great. He was laughing and carrying on, talking about the new year. Our department is very somber, they treated him like family.”

Carey Foster, a part time recreation department employee, remembers the first time Carter came to the rec. It was 1968 when Carter was 9 years old. “He walked around with one of the neighborhood dogs following him and said he was going to help me work.”

Foster, who was 18 when he first met Carter, said the man became a protector of the facilities at T.J. “He was the type to let us know when something was wrong. When we had ball games, it was his job to cut the lights off. We paid him in hot dogs.”

So much was Carter’s love for hot dogs that the nickname is engraved on his tombstone, Foster said.

The last time Foster saw Carter was last week and he was talking about Christmas being two days off.

His death, Foster said, “Is going to make a big change at the rec.”

Carter would usually come to rec by himself but get a ride home. Foster was one of those who gave him rides. “It’s going to be a shorter drive home for me, but I’m going to miss the longer drive.”