The Mailman

By Ken Grimball

Rain, shine, snow or hail, nothing stops the U.S. Mail.  With employees like Frank Hunter working to make sure we get our mail on time, we can rest assured those letters will be there when we need them.  For the past 45-years the Amityville Letter Carrier has fallen in love with the people on his postal route.  Unfortunately, Frank Hunter retired on January 2nd, 2009.  But his legacy lives on.

 

Born in Amityville 68-years-ago Hunter, one of eleven siblings, Frank later became a member of the United States Army.  He was stationed in Korea where he met his beautiful wife Kim.   With hope for the future, the two came back to his birth place.  Kim could not speak English well; however she found a job working at a Bay Shore Deli, where she remained 37-years. They have four sons, some of whom were enlisted in the Armed Forces as well. 

 

The Letter Carrier is not your average garden variety employee.  When he landed his job, Hunter decided to help people along his Amityville route.   Not only would Hunter deliver mail, he delivered cakes that he baked the night before to people he felt were in need of being cheered up.  With a natural, melodic voice, he serenaded customers. The Letter Carrier has seen new born babies and grow into adulthood. Children sang to him, offered him cold drinks in the summer and hot chocolate in the winter.  He was an advocate and friend to many of his customers. 

 

Frank Hunter doesn't know exactly what he will do during his retirement years, although he has had a few job offers; however, the people along his Amityville route will never forget the humble man who delivered their mail  for almost half a century.

Comments

[Charles Collins]

"To Kim Grimball Of New York, 'Sir I To Lived In Amityville For Many Years."I Was Good Friends With The Hunter Family.'I Now Live In Columbia SC.'Thanks For a Very Nice Email About That Hunter Family.'Charles Collins.

[SUSAN L.RUDNICK]

DEAR KEN,I WAS RAISED IN AMITYVILLE.MY FAMILY MOVED THERE FROM NYC BACK IN THE EARLY 1950'S.I REMEMBER A WONDERFUL MAILMAN WHO SERVICED OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE GAYLORE ESTASTES .HE WOULD ALWAYS HAVE DOG BISCUITS FOR OUR *LASSIE* COLLIE AND FOR ALL THE NEIGHBORS DOGS!HE KEPT WATCH OVER ALL OUR CHILDREN AS THEY PLAYED BALL AND ROAD THEIR BIKES IN OUR CUL- DE-SAC.WHEN THIS WONDERFUL PERSON RETIRED THE MAIL SERVICE WAS NEVER THE SAME.NEW CARRIERS WERE RELUCTANT TO BECOME FRIENDLY WITH PEOPLE THEY SERVICED,LET ALONE BEFRIEND THEIR FAMILY DOGS! WHAT A WONDERFUL STORY YOU HAVE SHARED WITH US.THANK YOU .FONDLY SUSAN L.RUDNICK ;STILL AN AMITYVILLIAN!