My name is Jeff White and I’m a letter carrier in Oyster Bay, a community on the North Shore of Long Island, NY.
I joined the Postal Service 36 years ago. I chose USPS after I talked to my own letter carrier, who persuaded me to take the job for its stability.
I love being a letter carrier because I get to be outside all day — and my day belongs to me. It is a physically demanding job, but the days move fast.
Before the Postal Service, I helped my father with his businesses. He was a photographer and wrote articles for Hot Rod magazine. He was also a craftsman and opened a store that sold candy and crafts.
I was born in Huntington, NY, which is about 10 miles north of Oyster Bay, so I have not drifted too far away. My wife and I live in Bethpage, which is also nearby. We come to Oyster Bay every Friday in the summer for the concerts — dancing in the streets.
I have two grown sons. Both were Eagle Scouts, and I was a scoutmaster for eight years. I’m still involved with the Scouts.
Since I have been on my route so long, I have seen people grow up and move on. I see Billy Joel in the neighborhood sometimes. He owns a motorcycle shop around the corner from the Post Office.
Even when I retire, I’ll come back to Oyster Bay. I love it here. I’ll be around.
“On the Job,” a column on individual employees and their contributions to the Postal Service, appears regularly in Link.
