Meet Me Monday: Postal workers hang up the satchel

While the rest of the Kinston mail carriers sort their mail this morning, two familiar faces won’t be loading their mail trucks. City carriers John Kilpatrick and Sammy Brinson retired Friday from the U.S. Postal Service after a combined 88 years of work.

“They are very dedicated and very dependable,” Kinston Postmaster Al Brantley said about the duo. “They are the type of carriers, if I had an office full of carriers like them, I wouldn’t even need to come in.”

Kilpatrick, who is retiring after 47 years, said he started working at the post office after deciding he wanted to move back to the area.

“I was working for IBM in Raleigh and I wanted move back home,” Kilpatrick said. “But I wanted to make sure I had a job before I quit the one I had.”

For Kilpatrick, job security was just one of the highlights of his career with the service.

“I’m going to remember the people I worked with more than anything,” he said. “Even the postmasters I worked with were good.”

Brinson agreed his fellow employees made the job easier but added the customers also made the routes enjoyable.

A 41-year veteran, Brinson started with the Postal Service delivering mail during the day while working the night shift at the local DuPont plant.

Brinson and Kilpatrick agreed automation has been the biggest change the service has undertaken over the last four years.

“We can carry more mail now,” Brinson said.

Kilpatrick added, “The biggest change is all the machines that allow for quicker processing. We could get on the roads a lot quicker.”

After nearly nine decades of service, both carriers said they are looking forward to their retirement. Brinson wants to spend more time with his grandchildren and Kilpatrick hopes to fish and golf.

“I don’t have grandchildren yet — I can’t seem to get my children married,” Kilpatrick joked.

As the two embark on their lives after the Postal Service, it’s clear they’ve left an impact on the Kinston office.

“They cared about their customers, they cared about their coworkers and they never called in sick,” Brantley said. “I knew they were going to do what they were supposed to do regardless.”

Justin Hill can be reached at 252-559-1078 or jhill@freedomenc.com.

Meet Me Monday:

U.S. Postal Service Carriers

John Kilpatrick

47 years as a city carrier

Originally from Cove City

Plans after retiring — fishing and golfing

Sammy Brinson

41 years as a city carrier

Originally from Richlands

Plans after retiring — spending time with grandchildren