Milligan retires from Sturgis Post Office

STURGIS - A familiar face at the Sturgis Post Office is retiring April 30 after 38 years of service.

Sales and services associate Chris Milligan said the decision to retire "was not necessarily an easy decision," but time to call it a career.

Chris Milligan pauses for a photo Friday between customers. Milligan retires from the Sturgis Post Office April 30 after 38 years of service.
Chris Milligan pauses for a photo Friday between customers. Milligan retires from the Sturgis Post Office April 30 after 38 years of service.

"I will miss my interactions with the customers," Milligan said. "I have thoroughly enjoyed waiting on (everyone) over the years and watching (their) kids grow into adults; amazing how time flies."

Milligan started his career as a carrier, watching technology and procedures evolve. The delivery point sequencing network, he said, made hand sorting largely a thing of the past. The system processes and puts together the mail as the carrier walks his or her route.

Years ago, people came in to have their parcels weighed, labeled and paid for. Milligan said with home business-based technology, people can weigh, pre-pay and print their own labels outside the facility and simply drop the items off.

After Tuesday, all that will become a closed chapter in Milligan's life book as he trades his uniform for more family time.

"Hopefully I will run into some of (my customers) at other venues in town," he said.

This article originally appeared on Sturgis Journal: Milligan retires from Sturgis Post Office