‘The best service there is’

South Carolina carrier marks 50 years with USPS

Myrtle Beach, SC, Letter Carrier Arthur Ray began his postal career in 1957. More than a half-century later, he’s still going strong.

“The Lord gave me a heart to serve and I guess this is the best service there is,” Ray told the Myrtle Beach Sun News recently.

Ray, 75, celebrated his 50th year with the Postal Service in July. He began his career in Cuyahoga Falls, OH, but later took off several years to try other jobs, including truck driving and law enforcement. Every time one of those jobs ended, Ray returned to USPS.

“I guess the Lord wants me here, so after a while I thought I’d better stay,” he said.

Ray, who relocated to South Carolina to escape Ohio’s harsh winters, usually works from 7:30 a.m. to about 4 p.m. He rarely calls out sick and arrives early to the mailroom every day, the Sun News reported.

Ray told the newspaper he sometimes thinks about retiring but plans to work as long as possible.

“If you like people and you like to serve, this is the job for you,” he said.

via USPS News August 07, 2014