Longtime Colorado Mail Carrier Don Smock Dies at 84

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Donald Roy Smock, a longtime mail carrier in Grover, Colorado, passed away on January 28, 2026 at the age of 84. Smock was raised on a farm and served in the Air National Guard before taking on the 'East' mail route in 1979, which he delivered for nearly five decades without ever hitting a mailbox.

Why it matters

Smock's long career as a mail carrier in a rural Colorado community highlights the important role postal workers play in connecting remote areas, as well as the dedication and skill required to safely deliver mail for decades without incident.

The details

Smock grew up on a farm in Grover, Colorado and was known for his all-American teenage years playing sports like baseball. After serving in the Air National Guard, he married his wife Joyce in 1963 and took on various jobs including farming, ranching, driving a school bus, and working in the oil fields before becoming a mail carrier in 1979. Over the next 46 and a half years, Smock delivered mail on the 'East' route without ever hitting a mailbox, a remarkable feat.

• Smock joined the Air National Guard between his junior and senior years of high school in the late 1950s.
• Smock married Joyce Anderson in 1963.
• Smock began delivering mail on the 'East' route in July 1979.
• Smock delivered mail on the 'East' route for 46 and a half years until his passing on January 28, 2026.