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Doug Murphy Retires As Sullivan Postmaster Following 42 Years of Service

Sullivan Postmaster Doug Murphy called it a career on Friday, May 22, after serving 42 years with the United States Postal Service, a job he began in 1978 and served as postmaster in eight different communities after his humble beginnings at the Postal Operations in downtown St. Louis.

“My dad, C. Dale Murphy, worked for the postal service as postmaster for many years and when I got ready to look for employment, my dad suggested I go to work for the postal service,” said Murphy. “I started there in 1978 as a clerk in St. Louis part-time, because that’s how postal service hires people to this day, as part-time before being moved to full time, and worked my way up to postmaster.”

Murphy served in eight different communities that included: Branson, Kimberling City, Mack’s Creek, Eldridge, Seymore, Cuba (twice for eight years), Bourbon (17 years) and finally Sullivan for the last eight years.

During his tenure, Murphy has worked all aspects of the postal service from clerk to helping with delivery on in town route to rural routes, even braving a one-foot snowfall to help get mail delivered on a rural route.

The most difficult thing about the job in the postal service, Murphy states, has just happened in recent years and even more so during the COVID-19 pandemic in that the amount of packages the Postal Service is handling.

“We have seen packages go to Christmas time levels from 1,000 to 2,000 packages a day during this COVID-19 pandemic. These are levels we see at Christmas time,” said Murphy. “It’s difficult in that we have to meet delivery drivers at various times from off-shift operation hours and it provides even more work for delivery personnel. Package volume has continued to increase while letter volume has decreased through the years.”

Murphy stated that what he will miss most about his job and what he has enjoyed the most is simply the people he works with and the friends he’s made through the years of service.

“The people I’ve worked with in every office I have truly enjoyed along with the customers I met when I worked the clerk windows,” said Murphy. “Being the boss is a tough job and you become friends with the employees but you still got to be the boss. I thank everyone I’ve worked with here, in fact, many of the employees have told me now I have time to go out and do social things with them,” laughed Murphy.

Sullivan Independent News

Sullivan Independent News
411 Scottsdale
Sullivan, MO 63080

Phone: 573-468-6511
Fax: 573-468-4046

 

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