Mandan mail carrier delivers final letters after 27 years

MANDAN, N.D. (KFYR) - After nearly three decades of delivering mail, one Mandan mail carrier is retracing steps he’s made thousands of times.

After 27 years and seven months, Bob Beth is retiring from the United States Post Office in Mandan. On Monday he delivered his final package of the year.

After 12 years on the same route, Beth has gotten to know the people behind the addresses on the letters he delivers. On his final day, at each mailbox a memory with the owner was re-opened.

“And then one day we were talking and here they have the same wedding anniversary as me and my wife,” said Beth.

The neighbors aren’t the only ones who look forward to Beth’s daily deliveries.

“The dogs will miss him terribly. They know that’s its him, they want to take the window out when they know it’s him,” said Mike and Karen Wetzstein, Mandan residents.

As his stack of mail gets smaller and the final mailboxes are in sight, Beth is reminded of why he started out on this route.

“The people. The ones I work with and the one’s I deliver to,” said Beth.

“He was a real nice person and no one will be able to replace him,” said Karen.

As he closes the door on this chapter of his life, and drives off to the next, neighbors hope he will return every once in a while.

“Next fall when the chokecherry jelly is done, you don’t have to bring the mail, just stop by and get a jar like you do every year,” laughed Jim and Gail Anderson, Mandan residents.

This will be Beth’s final trip down Collins Avenue, back to the post office where it all began 27 years ago.

In retirement, Beth said he will spend more time with his family and completing projects around his home.

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