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JC Conerly holds up a package presented to him by homeowners in the Woodlands neighborhood. (Terri Cowart Frazier/The Vicksburg Post)

Students from Cross Point Daycare pose with JC Conerly. (submitted photo)

Students at Cross Point Daycare hold signs on JC Conerly’s last day as a postal worker. (Submitted photo)

Homeowners from The Woodlands community pose with JC Conerly. Pictured, from left, are Brian Green, Natalie Muirhead, Liz Taylor, JC Conerly, Belynda Waring and Cherie Kilgo. (Terri Cowart Frazier/The Vicksburg Post)

JC Conerly poses for a photo on his last day as a mail carrier. (Terri Cowart Frazier/The Vicksburg Post)

John “JC” Conerly had worked for the U.S. Postal Service for 45 years to the day when he retired in June. He ran his final route on June 27, and along the way, well-wishers from many of the areas he served lined the street to not only wish him a happy retirement, but to thank him for going above and beyond the demands of his job.

Homeowner Cherie Kilgo recalled how Conerly took the time to come to the door to drop off packages that didn’t fit in the mailbox, saving her a trip to the post office. It was a nice favor he did for everyone on his route.

Conerly began working for the USPS on October 6, 1979, after passing the required state exam and interviewing with the Postmaster General—a day he says he will never forget.

“I had an interview at the post office at 11 a.m. and that morning my wife went into labor,” Conerly said. “We got to the hospital, I guess around 9 a.m. or a little earlier. The doctor came in and said it would be about 12:30 or 1 p.m. (before the baby was born), so I looked at my wife and said, ‘Look, I have this interview, you know’ – we didn’t have insurance or anything – and I said, ‘Should I go to the interview at 11 a.m.?’ and she said, ‘Yes,’ so I went to the interview.”

The interview was conducted by Postmaster George Head, Conerly said, and he asked him if he had children.

“I said, ‘Well, I’m going to do it in about two hours.’ And he said, ‘What do you mean?’ And I said, my wife went into labor this morning.”

Conerly said he told Head the baby wasn’t due until 12:30 p.m. or later, and he decided to come to the interview because he needed a good job with benefits.

The boss hired Conerly, but checked to see if Conerly was telling the truth when he said his wife was in labor.

“He thought I was just telling him a big lie,” Conerly said. “So he asked me who the doctor was and he did some research. He found out I hadn’t lied to him.”

Conerly started as a clerk in the mailroom and stayed in that position for two years. After the birth of their second child, he said, he began delivering mail. He wanted to make the changes because a mail carrier’s hours were more suitable for family planning. As a clerk, Conerly had worked from 6:30 p.m. to 3 a.m.

And while the hours might have been better suited to a family, delivering mail was a more labor-intensive job without air conditioning, he said, and it also involved dangers like dogs.

Conerly said he was only bitten once.

“I walked right past him as I was walking to the house and as I was walking down the driveway he caught me. It was a surprise attack and he hit me on the back of the leg. So I was pretty lucky there,” he said.

Then there was the time he was allegedly bitten by a dog while making a delivery to the home of the late Dr. Bob Shell.

“One Christmas they called me on my day off and I was delivering a package on Warrenton Road,” Conerly said.

He drove up the long driveway, parked the truck and got out, he said, and noticed that there was a large magnolia tree on the other side. The branches of the magnolia tree hung down to the ground, so unfortunately Conerly couldn’t see the homeowner’s Rottweiler lurking on the other side.

As you can imagine, the dog ran toward Conerly and chased him all the way back to his car.

Conerly said he dropped the box filled with fruit and tried to defend himself with spray, but it was ineffective.

Even after he got into the truck and walked to the back, the dog still tried to follow him, according to Conerly.

“But he was just too big to get in and get to me,” he said.

The owner’s son eventually came outside, put the dog on a leash and led him to the backyard. According to Conerly, he was then able to get back out of the truck, pick up the box of fruit and place it in front of the front door.

Conerly thought he had put his problems with the dog behind him and was surprised to see the owner being dragged back into the front yard by the dog.

“He was after me again,” Conerly said, “so I sprayed (the dog), myself and the owner.”

Conerly laughed as he told the story, but said it wasn’t so funny at the time, especially when the homeowner asked, “Man, what did you spray? It burns my eyes and my arm.”

Conerly said he will never forget his encounter with the Rottweiler and the pepper spray, nor all the happy times and kindness he received during his 40-plus year career.

“People were always nice to me, I never had a problem with anyone,” he said.

The relationships Conerly built during his years of service were evident on his last day of work. Many from the neighborhoods where he delivered mail were out to wish him well. Some even tied balloons to their mailboxes to send him off on his next journey in life. A daycare center at Porter’s Chapel put up signs saying how much they will miss their favorite mail carrier while also wishing him a happy retirement.

“The children were always happy when the mailman came,” said Molly Robinson, director of Cross Point Daycare. “Since he (Conerly) was so loyal in the rain, heat or freezing cold, we wanted to let him know that we will miss him but pray that he enjoys his retirement.”

“I was very surprised when I pulled up near the daycare,” Conerly said. “I saw all the kids and thought they were just lining up. Usually they line up to get to the main building right next to the mailbox. But then I saw a whole bunch of them, and they all had signs and stuff,” he said.

Conerly said that amidst all the kindness and appreciation, he “felt love,” adding that in his 45 years as a mail carrier, “that last day may have been my best day.”

About Terri Cowart Frazier

Terri Frazier was born in Cleveland, and her family moved to Vicksburg shortly afterward. She works as a part-time reporter for The Vicksburg Post and is the editor of Vicksburg Living Magazine, which won first place from the Mississippi Press Association. She also won first place for “Best Story” on the editorial board of the MPA’s Better Newspaper Contest.

Terri graduated from Warren Central High School and Mississippi State University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in communications with an emphasis in public relations.

Before joining the Post a little more than 10 years ago, she freelanced for the Jackson Free Press, but for most of her life she has enjoyed being a full-time stay-at-home mom.

Terri is a member of Crawford Street United Methodist Church. She is a life member of the Vicksburg Junior Auxiliary and a past member of the Sampler Antique Club and the Town and Country Garden Club. She is married to Dr. Walter Frazier.

“From keeping people informed about local government affairs to hearing people’s stories, a local newspaper is vital to a community. I have felt privileged to be part of a dedicated team at The Post throughout my tenure and hope that with their and local support, I can continue to grow and hone my skills while helping to spread the stories in Vicksburg. When asked what I like most about my job, my answer is always ‘the people.'”

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