Oklahoma City letter carrier marks 66 years with USPS

By Bill McAllister, Washington Correspondent

Oklahoma City letter carrier Johnnie Bell recently celebrated his 66th year of working for the United States Postal Service, becoming the nation’s senior letter carrier.

“Thanks so much for this recognition,” Bell said as his coworkers and friends celebrated with a red, white and blue cake and a framed certificate before he headed out on his route on Aug. 28.

“This is just something I do because I enjoy doing it,” the 90-year-old carrier said.

Bell works out of the Center City Station, according to Becky Hernandez, a USPS spokeswoman.

“His route is a business route in downtown Oklahoma City where he delivers mostly to mailrooms and cluster boxes,” Hernandez said. “He walks every step of it.”

Bell became a carrier in 1956, and he has spent his entire postal career in Oklahoma City. 

He also served four years in the U.S. Navy, giving him a total of 70 years of federal service.

“It’s been a great experience to work with him. Seventy years is a blessing,” co-worker Willie Taft told KOCO-TV, which recorded Bell’s ceremony.

“He knows this job inside out. It’s clockwork for him,” Taft said.

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