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NORTH SALT LAKE — For 22 years, "neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night" stopped Russ Muir from doing his job at the North Salt Lake post office.
Time, however, is something nobody can beat.
"When I went in to work this morning I broke down,” Muir said, wiping his eyes.
Today was his last day. Once he walked out the doors Friday evening, his retirement officially began.
"I want a change. There are other places I can serve, in the church or community. I'm not just going to sit here and sip lemonade," he said.
Including postal jobs in Layton, Woods Cross and Bountiful, Muir has spent 41 years working for the United States Postal Service. That’s a long time for someone in any job. But Muir he said it never really seemed like a job.
“The thing I always enjoyed the most is the people, the friends I’ve made over the years,” said Muir.
On his last day, many of those people took the extra time to come to the North Salt Lake post office to say goodbye. There was cake, a bundle of balloons and a goodbye card so big Muir is happy he wouldn’t have to mail it.
“When I started this career, a stamp cost 13 cents, now it's 49 cents,” laughed Muir.
Muir always had a joke or funny comment for his customers.
“We have a special on stamps today,” Muir said to one of his final customers. “Two for the price of two.”
It took a moment for his customer to think about what he said before a smile crossed her face.
Muir also told a story of the time a woman put a large box on his counter scale to mail and asked him if she was overweight.
“I believe in being honest, but sometimes you better not answer the question,” Muir said.
Many of his customers became personal friends.
“Well, I don’t know anybody who is quite like him,” said Byron Litster. “Everybody has their quirks and their good points and all, and Russ is one of the best ones around."
"We really think the world of him and he's done so much for so many people for so long that he deserves to be honored,” said Mark Short.
You can't work for people for 41 years and not be attached to them.
–Russ Muir
For all the times Muir has served his customers, recently he needed them after his wife died two years ago.
"The outpouring of love was overwhelming,” Muir said. “It changed me. I feel like I needed to serve others more."
That's when Muir started thinking about the rest of his life. His biggest hobby is playing the organ, and he’s planning on doing that as often as possible now. In fact, after he walked out the door for the last time as a postal employee, he left for Rexburg, Idaho, where he will play the organ during a funeral Saturday.
"I've made a lot of friends and met a lot of people,” Muir said.
“You can’t work for people for 41 years and not be attached to them," he said. "Even though there are a lot of people, and I don’t know all of their names, I remember a lot of their faces.”
