By Angela Cutrer

Hal Moore, 60, says “you just know” when it’s time to retire, so he did Oct. 31. After 32 years with the United States Postal Service, Moore left the Oxford post office branch for the last time Monday before heading home for Twelve Oaks for good.

“You can tell when its time,” he said. In fact, two years ago Moore’s wife said “it’s time,” but he didn’t feel that was so in his bones. 

Now, his bones tell him it’s time to go back to being an avid golfer and hunter for the rest of his time on earth.

Moore began his postal career Sept. 8, 1990. He transferred to Oxford in 2004 after serving in Clarksdale and Marks.

Mail is now sorted through automation, which Moore said was the major difference in his job then and now. “Everything is different at the post office,” he said. “It’s not like it used to be.”

 Back then, mail had to be hand sorted at the post office building before the carriers could load and leave for delivery. “Then, mail was already sorted by automation and next, the mail was sorted by delivery so that the carriers could just pick them up and walk out,” Moore remembered. “It’s totally different. I still had to sort some mail, but just a little. We had 10 city routes and 23 rural routes and I had to know each street [for sorting]. And I knew them all.”

Moore said he will always have fond memories of his time with the postal service. He started as a city carrier while living in Clarksdale, where he was born. He grew up in a little town called Tutwiler and attended Mississippi Delta Community College and Delta State University. Though his major was in construction and drafting, he had no regrets about his career choice.

“To my coworkers – I wish them luck so that they, too, can hopefully be [at retirement] age,” Moore said of the friends his left behind. “I’m going to miss my customers. I know so much about them – one can walk in and not say a thing. I’ll know just which box is theirs. It’s really something to know so many people that they don’t even have to speak for me [for me] to know what they need. I’ll miss seeing them.” 

Moore and his wife, Tammy, who teaches at Lafayette, have two daughters: Halle, 22, is a graduate from Mississippi State University and Sara Grace, 20, is a junior at Ole Miss. 

“I’m ready to enjoy life and just do what I want,” Moore said of his future plans. “I used to be an avid golfer and loved hunting and fishing. So that’s what I’ll do. 

“And whatever my wife talks me into doing. She’s has a list of things already.”