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60 Years of Federal Service--No Plans to Retire

By Marilyn Loeser

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

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As we welcomed in the New Year, Norma Larry was celebrating 60 years as the Cable, OH, Postmaster. She's been a Postmaster longer than anyone else in the nation and says, "I wanted to reach this milestone, but now that I'm here I'm not interested in retiring."

The 81-year-old said she moved to the small village when she was 4 years old. "I loved going to the Post Office and visiting with the Postmaster, Florence Clay." Her parent's grocery store was just across the street.

At 21, she took the Postmaster test and, earning the highest score, was sworn in December 31, 1948.

When the original Post Office burned down in 1955, Larry operated the Post Office in her parents' dining room for eight months. "The mail came just the same," she said. She ended up moving a small house she owned to Main Street, and had it gutted and rebuilt into the Post Office. The Post Office has remained in this location ever since.

Another major change came a decade ago when two rural routes were moved from her office to the Urbana Post Office. "But I still serve the village Post Office Box customers," she said. "I enjoy working.

"I'm just not a stay-at-home type of person," she added.

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Readers' Comments

  • Anybody that loves their job this much just needs to keep on doing that job until they feel differently. Seldom do we hear about employees in any sector that truely love their jobs enough to dedicate their lives to them and their customers. Shame we all don't feel this way.....all I can say.....Keep...
    Posted: January 28, 2009 9:41 AM
  • The retirement age used to be at 70, but that was dropped. No one really cares how long someone is willing to work...think of all those people who lost their retirements due to the economy....
    Posted: January 23, 2009 11:18 AM
  • If more Managers in DOL have the attitude you have, its no wonder why DOL is so screwed up, so pitifully diverse-less, and remiss in displaying any inclination to do something positive about it. Perhaps you need to find another career where your lack of knowledge about the basics of your position a...
    Posted: January 22, 2009 11:15 AM

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