WATCH ABOVE: Friday marked the last mail run for a man who has dedicated more than half his life delivering to rural homes. Kendra Slugoski has his story.
EDMONTON – After 55 years of delivering mail to the same houses along the same rural route in Forestburg, AB, Donald Muyres is calling it a career.
“Fifty-five years of plowing mud, you might say,” Donald said with a laugh. “I don’t know where all the time went, really… I’m going to miss it.”
The 81-year-old has delivered the mail twice a week, every week, since he was a young man. He worked alongside his father for the first 10 years.
“Dad was with me and away we’d go,” he said. “I enjoyed it. Dad and I, we got along great.”
While the scenery hasn’t changed all that much over the years, the number of houses along the route has dwindled down to just seven; but Donald says he’s gotten to know each and every family that’s come and gone.
“They say I’m really a good mailman. The best they’ve ever had. Well, 55 years I guess so, eh?” he said with a laugh.
Over the past few years Donald has been joined from time to time by his wife of 50 years, Audrey Muyres.
“She does the work,” he said, chuckling.
Audrey has tried to get her husband to retire for about a decade now, but says when he puts his mind to something he doesn’t budge.
“If he wants to do it he’s going to do it. He was determined. He said, ‘I’m going to stay doing the job as long as I can and when I can’t, that’s when I’ll pull the plug.’ And that’s what he’s doing.”
Audrey thinks her husband will miss the social aspect of the job the most.
“It’s the camaraderie with the guys in town, you know, sitting there having his coffee and talking to his friends, then doing the route and talking to all these farmers here.”
But after half a century on the job, Donald says his body isn’t as able as it once was. Now it’s time to hang up his mailbag and enjoy retirement with his wife.
“After 55 years, it’s about time I quit. But I’ve enjoyed every bit of it.”
With files from Kendra Slugoski, Global News.
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