30 Years of Service at the U.S. Post Office

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By Echo Menges

Bert Oberdahlhoff, 56, of Edina reached a 30 year milestone of service with the U.S. Postal Service.

Oberhahlhoff began working with the US Postal Service as a clerk in Lancaster, MO, on April 6, 1991. She spent a few years working in the Lancaster office before transferring to the Memphis US Post Office where she worked as a Clerk and Mail Carrier.

Ever since I started in Memphis I carried because they were short on carriers.

Around 1998 she transferred to the Edina US Post Office mostly working as a Clerk and picking up routes as a Mail Carrier where they were short handed.

In 2005 she became a full time Mail Carrier that occasionally performs the duties of Clerk.

Over the last 30 years she has delivered thousands upon thousands of pieces of mail and walked nearly nine miles a day for more than 16 years. Altogether she has walked 37,440 miles delivering mail – not including the six miles of driving she does to get to her routes.

She likes getting exercise and being able to exercise at work.

“The rain is the worst, where delivering mail is concerned,” said Bert Oberdahlhoff about delivering in inclement weather. “It always takes longer in the snow, but you can put your cleats on.”

The biggest change she has seen in her 30 years of service is the change to automation. In days past, a person’s name may have been enough to get a parcel delivered correctly. Today, because all addresses have to be readable by machines, mail often won’t make it to the correct post office without the exact and correct address.

“I don’t know if I’m thinking about (retiring). I’m still healthy,” said Oberdahlhoff. “As long as my knees hold out, I’ll keep going.”

Bert, the daughter of Nancy Shouse and Robert Oberdahlhoff, grew up in Knox County with three sisters, Betty Simmons, Karla Tungate and Kim Barnard. She and her sister Kim Barnard work together at the Edina USPS Office. Bert is a Knox County native who graduated from Knox County High School in 1982. She and her partner Sharon Hettinger reside in Edina.