Rural mail carrier retires after 25 years

Postmast Julie Mader recognizes carrier Larry Perscall for his years at Nevada's post office his final day before retirement. Michelle Workman/Daily Mail

Nevada Daily Mail

Larry Perscall sorted and delivered mail from Nevada's post office for a final time Friday as he retired from his job as a rural carrier.

Perscall began what he called his "late life" career with the post office when he began working as a substitute carrier 25 years ago, usually working just one day a week. The final six years he served the community as a full-time carrier, most recently to the area south of Nevada.

Postmaster Julie Mader recognized Perscall's years of service with a presentation in the mail room Friday by his Route 3 work station, surrounded by envelopes and packages, including boxes of noisy chicks, waiting to be delivered.

"The combined efforts of experienced employees such as you have helped make possible the achievements of the postal service," Postmaster Julie Mader read from the presentation. "I hope that the many friendships you have made and the knowledge of a job well done bring you pleasant memories in the coming years."

Mader said she first met Perscall when she was a teenager and he hired her to work at his family's convenience store in Kansas. At that time he had to work alongside her whenever a customer purchased alcohol because she was still too young to sell it.

Perscall joked that Mader has been his boss most recently instead of the other way around, as it was a few decades ago.

"We laugh about that, how things change," Mader said.

Perscall said he has no specific plans for his retirement except for breaking the habit of getting up by 5 a.m. each morning as he did for the job. But Perscall said he enjoyed his time as a post office employee and interacting with customers on his route.