David Laughlin
DUNCAN — What started off as a part-time job at the Velma Post Office evolved and transformed into a career, spanning 39 years for Joy Parks.
Parks began her postal career in 1970. She was a part time clerk and only worked two hours a week, on Saturdays.
She continued her part-time clerk work until 1975, until she became Officer in Charge at the Alma Post Office. She was appointed Postmaster of Alma shortly after her arrival.
She has also worked in Allen and Maysville as the OIC. She said “Allen was an experience, but the more I did it, the more I like it.”
She returned to Velma to work as OIC and was again appointed, this time as postmaster of the Velma Post Office in 1979. Parks said Velma doesn’t have a mail route, just PO boxes.
“Velma is home, I was so happy to return to Velma,” Parks said. Parks hasn’t always called Velma home, she graduated from Rush Springs High School in 1955. She married her husband the same year and moved to Velma.
Parks said her time at the Velma Post Office was full of wonderful experiences, but she is going to miss the customers.
“You get real close to your customers and they are just like your family,” Parks said. “I would bring their mail to them if they weren’t able to get out. Sometimes I would bring them groceries if they need me to.”
Parks remembers when computers made their way into the postal system. “They brought them (computers) in and you had to do all of your reports on the computer. For me that was very difficult because I didn’t have any computer knowledge,” she said.
There is going to be a retirement celebration from 3 to 5 p.m. Saturday at the Velma Family Life Center.
Parks said her time was filled with memorable events, but she going miss the customers the most, she said “I really just miss everybody.”
— David Laughlin is a reporter for The Duncan Banner. He can be reached at 580-255-5354, Ext. 144, or via e-mail at david.laughlin@duncanbanner.com.
