EAST ALTON - Karen Rhodes retired Monday after 32 years in the U.S. Postal Service.
Karen started as a part-time letter carrier for the United States Postal Service in Alton on Nov. 22, 1986. She worked in Alton for a year until she transferred to the East Alton Post Office because she wanted to be closer to home.
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When she transferred to the East Alton Post Office, she was a part-time letter carrier. After about eight months, an opportunity came for her to become a part-time postal clerk inside. She was a part-time postal clerk for 11 years until a full-time clerk's position opened up at East Alton.
Karen then stayed as a full-time clerk till her retirement. She was a full-time clerk for 19 years. She also was a classroom instructor and on the job instructor for new postal clerks. She was on a supervisor detail for two years in Wood River. She also received several awards in the postal service including the star performer award and for 100 percent mystery shop, and was trained to do passports.
Jane Spencer, the postmaster of Wood River where Karen was on detail as a supervisor, said Karen was an excellent worker and was always on time.
“Karen did her job without supervision and was a great performer,” Spencer said. “She will be missed by many.”
Karen said she is going to miss a lot of things about her postal work.
“I am really going to miss my regular customers I would see every day and just the workers and actually I enjoyed the job,” Rhodes said. “I am going to now take it easy, relax, crochet some and do some of the woodworking I enjoy doing in retirement.”Chris Rhodes also contributed to this story.
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