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Debbie Ray, retiring after 28 years with the U.S. Postal Service,
was honored by her fellow workers with a retirement party and
roast at Granny's Kitchen in Cherokee recently.
Ray was presented her 28 years of service award by Whittier Postmaster
Pauline Beck.
Ray started her career on Nov. 26, 1973, at the
Sylva Post Office as a distribution and window clerk. Those duties
sometimes included running the city routes and collection route.
In January 1984, she resigned to stay at home with her young boys,
Jeremy and Justin.
Debbie Ray, left, was presented a 28-year service award from
the U.S. Postal Service by Whittier Postmaster Pauline Beck.
In February 1988 Pauline Beck was appointed Postmaster
at Whittier where the clerk and the postmaster had retired. She
asked Ray if she would be interested in working about 12 hours
a week as the clerk at Whittier.
Ray agreed, was reinstated March 12, 1988, and continued working
at the Whittier office until her retirement.
"Debbie was a tremendous asset to the Whittier office as
well as the entire Postal Service," said Beck. "She
worked extremely hard to always perform her duties correctly and
was most helpful in the planning and moving into the new post
office."
Beck said Ray "has been not just my right-hand for 15-plus
years, but also my best friend. I truly miss her already, but
I am so glad that she has this opportunity at this early age.
I am glad she will not be working Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays,
for a while."
Ray, who worked many of these during her 28 years, said she has
no definite plans right now, except to really enjoy the holidays
this year.
Her retirement was a Voluntary Early Retirement Action offered
by the USPS.
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