Selmer man celebrates 55 years working in postal service

SELMER, Tenn. — For more than five decades, one man has been making sure West Tennesseans get their mail.

Tom Hamilton has been working for the postal service in Selmer for 55 years.

He started as a window clerk, then became a supervisor before becoming postmaster in 1979.

He gets to the post office every day at 6 to start getting ready for the day.

“I love getting up and getting the mail out around town and seeing people,” Hamilton said.

Now, funding is an issue they’re facing.

He says the number of letters they deliver has gone down, but the number of packages has doubled.

“Buy stamps. Talk to your congressman about getting these funds for the post office. People depend on the post office. They depend on us for their medicine. They depend on us for their stimulus checks for example,” Hamilton said.

Hamilton says he does plan to slow down soon to spend more time with his sons and grandsons.