As we all know, our lovable Mike the Mailman is retiring after 48 years of working for the United States Postal Service. Last Friday marked his last day here at Penn State and it was a bittersweet moment for all involved. And I’m sure you all know that last Friday was also April Fools Day. Many hoped that, being the jokester he was, that Mike really wasn’t retiring and that it was all just an elaborate April Fools joke. But it wasn’t.
Mike Herr started working for the USPS on April 1, 1968. According to his interview with the Centre Daily Times, “It was a five-year plan, he said, that turned into a lifetime plan.” He accepted his job on the same day as he did his interview with the Postal Service. He loved our lovely Happy Valley too much to bear the thought of moving away from it.
Herr has been a part of the Penn State community for decades. He’s been delivering mail during the mail call for THON since 1990 (and he hopes to still be able to take part in THON even after his retirement). He’s had many, many people bring him cookies (I remember walking past the Post Office on my campus tour and my guide telling us how Mike’s cookie process works). He has been such a integral part of the community that Penn State even dedicated a day to Mike the Mailman. He has also appeared on the CBS Evening news where he talked about his job here at Penn State and of all the friends/regulars he’s made over the years.
In Penn State News’ Q&A with Mike, he talks about the most interesting thing people have asked him to mail. He mentions plastic Easter eggs, not wrapped in anything, or a beachball (also not wrapped). He also said that as long as they have a stamp on them, he can mail them.In the Q&A, he was also asked about all of his wonderful signs he’s made over the years.
Herr plans on writing a book after his retirement, a book about his fun times here at Penn State. He said he would love to travel around the country, promoting the book and talking to Penn State alumni. He also plans on spending more time with his family and playing more tennis with his wife. However, he still wants to try and attend as many Penn State sporting events as he can and still be apart of the PSU community.
In his interview with the CDT he was also asked “how he left his stamp on Penn State” to which he answered, “My secret is fairly simple, solid truths. Kindness matters. Humor always helps; staying enthusiastic about the big and the little things, and showing compassion to ever single person that I meet.”
Mike the Mailman is/was such an important person to the Penn State community that he even made it into Onward State’s “Penn State’s Best Things” bracket. He made it into the top eight overall, and the top two people. He was up against JoePa in the final two people. However, while Mike was one of the most loved people at Penn State, JoePa still took the top spot of our favorite people. On his Facebook page, he shared the article with “Elite 8!!! OK… even I’m voting for JoePa in my match up with him, haha! Thanks for all the votes to get me this far, folks!” But Mike the Mailman will always be Penn State’s favorite mailman!
Next week I was thinking about doing a history lesson on Beaver Stadium since it’s Blue & White weekend. Like always, let me know if there’s anything you want to know more about!
Sources
http://www.centredaily.com/news/local/education/penn-state/article61751962.html
http://onwardstate.com/2016/02/22/mike-the-mailman-herr-announces-that-he-will-retire-april-1/
http://news.psu.edu/story/399856/2016/03/25/campus-life/qa-mike-herr-aka-mike-mailman
http://onwardstate.com/2016/03/29/the-best-penn-state-thing-bracket-elite-8/
http://onwardstate.com/2016/04/05/best-penn-state-thing-bracket-final-four/
https://www.facebook.com/mikethemailman16802/?fref=ts
Abby says
I never got to meet him! I am so upset, mailing stuff is never fun with the long lines and all, but I feel like he would have made the experience all the better. Great post!
Pragnya Prabakaran says
Mike the Mailman seems like a genuinely nice and caring person overall, and it’s hard to see that in a lot of people, which is probably why he loved so dearly by so many students. It’s amazing to me that a mailman on campus can have such a positive impact on the students, and it’s sad to think about how he’s now retired. But it’s wonderful that Mike the Mailman has had such a positive impact for so many years, and I feel proud knowing that he was a uniting factor in our University and among the students. Great post!
Joe Wong says
I’ve only met Mike the Mailman once in the Fall semester, but he seemed really nice from the few minutes I was with him. I think it’s cool how he’s going to write a book about his experience at Penn State. I’m definitely going to try to read it.
Lawrence Green says
Awww, Mike! I’m a bit upset I am only a freshman so I didn’t get to know who Mike the Mailman really was, his impact on the Penn State community, and what made him such a legacy. I was able to meet him once when I mailed something first semester and I had no idea what I was doing, but he comically helped me out and made a makeshift tape-job for my box. It was pretty funny while it was going on, so I can tell he is a really cool guy. I wish I was able to experience more of his awesomeness, but I understand all good times must come to an end. So, best of luck to Mike! Great post, Sierra!