A new year and a new focus
Dennis Harrill and Kathy Knight share a laugh last week at the United States Post Office in Clinton. Knight (30 years) and Harrill (37 years) retired from the USPS at the end of 2017. Both have plans to keep busy in Clinton and stay in touch with “their people.”
The two Clinton United States Post Office letter carriers clocked into work for the last time in December, 2017. Knight retired from her position after 30 years; Harrill after 37 years.
Both said it is a job that’s hard to step away from.
“It’s stressful, especially during the holidays, but it’s fun,” Knight said. “When you get through for the day you feel like you’ve done something.”
Knight worked one year with the USPS in Michigan before moving to Clinton.
She became emotional while talking about her career with the USPS, saying her co-workers and the people on her route had become “family” to her.
“I’ll miss them,” she said. “I’ll really miss them.”
But, she noted, she’ll still be in Clinton.
Knight is opening Patchwork Quilting at 355 Collum Street in Clinton, where she will specialize in custom quilting.
“I plan on keeping busy and this will help me keep in touch with all of my people,” she said.
Harrill’s plans are a little less firm, so he said.
“I don’t want to jinx it,” he laughed.
Harrill said he “hopes” to be a driver for East Tennessee Human Resource Agency.
“That’s the plan, anyway,” he grinned.
After working 30-plus years with the postal service it’s hard to just “stop doing anything,” he said.
“It could be a stressful job at times, but it’s rewarding,” Harrill noted. “All the people on my route knew I was retiring and they all made a point to wish me luck.”