What:

Cleveland Post Office is holding a recognition ceremony honoring Letter Carrier Alfonzo Theodore (A.T.) Wilson Jr., who has been delivering mail to Cleveland residents for 60 years.

Who:

Northern Ohio District Manager Sharon Young, Cleveland Postmaster Rose Spraggins, Station Manager Les Wolf and USPS management and staff from across Cleveland and northeast Ohio.

When:

Friday, November 17, 2017 at 8:30 a.m.

Where:

Cleveland Station B, 1650 East 55th Street, Cleveland, Ohio 44103.

Background:  

Born in Alabama, Alfonzo (A.T.) Wilson’s family moved to the Glenville neighborhood of Cleveland in 1946. After graduating from Glenville High School, Wilson took the Postal exam, and in 1957 – at 20 years old – reported to work as a substitute clerk. A year later he was delivering mail in Shaker Heights and in 1968 transferred to a postal route in University Circle. He’s been delivering to the residents of University Circle ever since.

“When I started, we didn’t have delivery vehicles, so we took the bus to our routes,” said Wilson. “An employee in a truck would place our mail in brown mailboxes located along the route, and that’s how we would reload our satchels. We would walk all day and then take the bus back to the Post Office when we finished delivering our routes.”

“We had a lot of mail back in those days,” said Wilson. “There were at least 15 kinds of magazines that came regularly, and some of those magazines you no longer see today. Business routes were delivered twice a day, because businesses especially depended on the mail. If for any reason the mail were to shut down, everything would shut down.” 

“I run into people now that I delivered to when they were little kids,” said Wilson. “They always remember the mailman. Sometimes seeing them as adults I have to ask, ‘Who are you?’ When they tell me who their parents were and where they used to live, then I know who they are. Some of those kids applied to work at the Post Office, and some of them are still working today.”

Wilson and his wife have been married for 45 years. They have two grown children and a grandchild, all who live in Cleveland. Now 80 years old, Wilson has no plans to retire.

“My father would tell me to read the Bible and if I found retirement there to show it to him,” said Wilson. “The way I was brought up, if you’re blessed to work and able to work, you work. I’ve stayed this long with the Postal Service because I love serving the public. It’s all about service. I believe the opportunity to serve is its own reward. The Lord will let me know when it’s time to sit down.”

Media are invited to attend the recognition ceremony. The event will start promptly at 8:30 a.m.