One Of The Longest-Serving Postal Workers Retires After 60 Years
CHICAGO (CBS) – A Melrose Park letter carrier is about to retire after 60 years on the job - one of the longest-serving postal workers in history.
83-year-old Garland Gralow remembers the day he was hired.
"Could you start tomorrow? – just like that – yeah okay," Gralow remembered.
Gralow started working for the United States Postal Service in 1957. He has been walking the same route on 25th Avenue ever since, though he said it used to be a lot longer.
WBBM: What do you think about as retirement is coming up?
"I wish it was over with," Gralow said.
WBBM: Why's that?
"Well because of all of this," Gralow said, as people snapped photos of him while he walked by.
In all those years, one would assume he has many dog stories.
"I got bit once," Gralow said. "Just once."
One time in 60 years is not bad, he said, though he has had some other close calls.
The postmaster also said he once delivered the mail barefoot in knee-deep floodwater.
WBBM: Being on the same route I am sure you have seen people grow up.
"Oh yeah, oh yeah every once in a while there will be an older person, grey hair person that will say, oh yeah I remember you from when I was a little kid," Gralow said.
He was eligible for retirement in 1988. Now that it is getting closer, he said he is looking forward to relaxing.