The name and services of Dexter G. Look have been an essential, prominent and beneficial part of the history of Lowell for half a century; but the writing of this biography has at a late hour been delegated to an old friend, as the subject with inherent modesty has declined to do it himself.

To enumerate all the public services rendered to the Lowell community, to Kent County and the state of Michigan by Mr. Look during the past fifty years would be a large task even for his friends of nearly forty years, at so short a notice.

The latter is requested to "hit the high spots," which he will endeavor to do.

Dexter G. Look was born on a farm at Farmers Creek, Lapeer county, Mich., March 3, 1863, and lived the life of a country lad and farmer’s boy until he was 14 years old when he came to Lowell with his family, which has ever since been his home. Here he entered the Lowell schools and graduated from Lowell High in 1880.

Little time was lost in selecting his life business. He clerked for six years in the drug store of his brother, John Q. Look, at the end of which time he purchased a partnership in the drug business of J. B. Yeiter. Another period of six years followed, when he bought the interest of Mr. Yeiter and has continued in the same line of business at the same stand ever since.

During all these years of close and untiring attention to his own business, he has taken a keen interest in public affairs and to enumerate the hours he has devoted to its interest, in an atmosphere of stifling tobacco smoke when he might have enjoyed the pleasant associations of his own home, this writer will not attempt. Let the interested reader figure them from the following "high spots."

He served the village as a member of the Council for 16 years, six of them as village president. He was a member of the Lowell Board of Education for about fourteen years, five of them as its president, during which time the fine Lowell High School building was erected. It should be noted also that during Mr. Look’s active years in the public interests, the City Hall was built, Main and Hudson streets were paved, a municipal light and power plant were built, boulevard lights were installed on Main street and a fine city water plant was acquired, improved and extended, all of which splendid enterprises had Mr. Look’s active and ardent support, which indicates that Dexter’s middle initial should have been P—the P for Progress.

He has also served as Director and Vice-President of the City State Bank and as Treasurer of the Lowell Specialty company, of which he was one of the organizers, which has been for many years Lowell’s largest labor employer and the largest hand sprayer factory in the United States.

Mr. Look was a member of the Kent County Road Commission in its early years and served on the Kent District No. 2 Draft Board during the World War.

During all these years he has been connected with the associate organizations of his own calling, having been president of the Michigan State Rexall club and the State Pharmaceutical association was honored by his fellow members on the occasion commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of his entry into the drug business. This was held at Lowell City hall and was a spontaneous and enthusiastic gathering, participated in by druggists from all Michigan and some from outside the state as well as by his Lowell townsmen.

Fraternally, Mr. Look is a member of the Masonic, Odd Fellow and Moose lodges, the former of which he served officially. He is also a trustee of the Congregational church.

Our townsman is now serving his fifth term as member of the Michigan House of Representatives, where he has rendered distinguished public service and was a member of the important Ways and Means committee for three sessions. In 1927 he was offered the Speakership of the House, which he declined, preferring to serve on the floor. Mr. Look has always faced the music on roll call and never sought to avoid a vote.

In addition to all these capacities of public service, Mr. Look has always been ready with a helping hand and purse whenever they were needed to help start a factory or to replace a poor man’s dead cow or horse or in all the multifarious ways that confront a live and public spirited business man every twice in so often and his pockets were never buttoned up.

Notwithstanding the strenuous life indicated by this imperfect record, Mr. Look, who will soon greet his three-score years and ten, with his good companion, *(nee Evelyn Rickert) who has been his loyal help-mate all through the years and never once met with a rolling pin when he came home late at night from the Village "smoke house," still bids fair to continue his useful lief for many a year.

His friend and well-wisher.   F.M. Johnson

*Mr. and Mrs. Look were married 46 years ago, Dec. 3, 1885.