One of state's oldest postmasters retires

AVANT, Okla. (AP) -- As one of Oklahoma's oldest postmasters retires, Dorothy Forbes said the mail has stopped only once during her tenure at Avant Post Office. Ms. Forbes retired this month after

Thursday, January 20th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

AVANT, Okla. (AP) -- As one of Oklahoma's oldest postmasters retires, Dorothy Forbes said the mail has stopped only once during her tenure at Avant Post Office. Ms. Forbes retired this month after 40 years of postal service.

She started out as a clerk in 1960 when postage stamps cost a lot less than 33 cents. She became postmaster in 1972, which meant she was responsible for the mail in this south Osage County town. "It was getting more difficult all the time," Ms. Forbes said of her job. Her feet and legs "wore out."

At age 78, she was one of the oldest postmasters in Oklahoma. Depew and Manitou have older postmasters. The Davenport postmaster, Jeanina Paige, has been named the new postmaster for the 400 residents of Avant.

Only one time during Ms. Forbes' tenure was the mail undeliverable. In 1974, she waded through knee-deep water to get to the post office when nearby Bird Creek flooded. "The mail truck didn't make it," she said. "The truck got within a block of the post office. No one came to get their mail, anyway, but I stayed up there."