ML King Carrier Celebrates 50 Years

Miami, FL, Postmaster Enrique M. Suarez (left) and National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Branch 1071 Vice President Mark Travers (right) congratulated Martin Luther King, Jr., Branch Letter Carrier Horace Davis (center) on 50 years of outstanding government service.

Story & Photos: Mirtha D. Uriarte, Miami Customer Relations Coordinator

On July 16, Miami, FL, Postmaster Enrique Suarez presented Horace Davis with his 50-year Service Award and Pin. On behalf of Miami Customer Service, Davis also received a gift as a token of appreciation for his many years of dedicated service.

Davis is well known for his infectious smile and his dedication to family, customers, co-workers, and most importantly, his faith.

Davis enjoys buffet prepared by co-workers.

Davis served honorably in the U.S. Air Force stationed at McGuire Air Force Base in Wrightstown, NJ, prior to joining the U.S. Postal Service as distribution clerk at the Biscayne Annex, in Miami, FL, in 1965. His hourly wage was $2.95. Davis converted to a letter carrier in October 1969 at the old Northwest Post Office in Miami, FL, until its closure. In 1986, he moved into a new Post Office building named after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and has been there ever since.

During the celebration, National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Branch 1071 Vice President Mark Travers personally thanked Davis for setting such an example to all who had the pleasure to cross his path during his postal career.

“Horace is an active NALC union member who is greatly appreciated by all his union brothers and sisters,” Travers said.

Davis’ daughter, Veka, who is a mail handler at the Royal Palm Processing and Distribution Center (P&DC) in Opa-locka, spoke about how she envied the U.S. Postal Service for having known her father for 50 years when she only had known him for 40 years. She remembered how he always kept his uniform clean and pressed and always shining his shoes daily before leaving to go to work. 

“My siblings and I learned about responsibility, loyalty and commitment to the Postal Service,” Veka said. “He set the example and always has been a proud postal worker.”

  

A/Manager, Customer Services Shanorma Pickens remembers her father telling her how Davis had been his Optimist football coach when he was a young man. She thanked Davis for his outstanding example to all the other employees, citing that he made her job so much easier. 

Letter Carrier Horace Davis always remembers to shine his shoes and wear a smile! Just ask his daughter, Veka, who gave a beautiful tribute to her father during his 50-year celebration at the Martin Luther King, Jr., Branch.