Historical June 1980 report or notice. Original dates, prices and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
For the past 16 years, Mike Mosello has been a mailman, good friend, and public servant for a portion of Parkview.
In honor of his retirement, residents of the area held a family picnic and parade of dogs Sunday, May 18th in Pershing Park. Mike left the Postal Service because of a physical disability. Mike stopped delivering mail in Parkview in April and the residents discovered by calling the University City Post Office that Mike was on sick leave and would be retired from sick leave.
We could not let Mike just disappear like that, so the Family Picnic in Pershing Park was planned in his honor. Mike’s mail delivery was as regular as clockwork.
He was always pleasant and became a real friend of the neighborhood. Mike was followed in rain and shine by little people and canines of the neighborhood.
The canines were especially fond of Mike as he always carried dog biscuits for his four-legged friends in his right pants pocket. Mike was originally afraid of dogs, but realized after a short time in Parkview that he had to make friends with them as there are so many dogs in our neighborhood.
So, in honor of Mike, Parkview had a Dog Costume Parade and awarded prizes to the dogs in three costume categories: the funniest, the most original costume and the best spring theme.
An anecdote to give you some idea of the service Mike provided to his customers: One of the residents greeted Mike as he was delivering her mail and quickly noticed that her husband’s pay check was not included.
This was the Saturday before Christmas, so she was disappointed. Mike said he was sorry and went on delivering his mail. About 4 hours later, there was Mike, pay check in his hand.
He had gone back to the University City Post Office and sorted through the mail and found the check and made a special trip back to deliver it to her.
This was not “special” treatment in Mike’s eyes, but this is what the residents of Parkview enjoyed for 16 years. Every family brought their own lunch to Mike’s picnic. Mike was accompanied by his wife and son.
They enjoyed a picnic lunch provided by some of the residents and then Mike judged the Dog Costume Parade.
A large cake was presented to Mike, it was decorated like an envelope and was addressed to Mike Mosello, Our Mailman, Parkview, Missouri 63130 and had a return address from Your Friends, Parkview, Missouri. Dogs, children and adults shared the cake with Mike and his family and said their goodbyes to him. Mike was presented with a check from his friends in Parkview by Charles Fleener who acted as Master of Ceremonies for the picnic. Mike will be gone from Parkview, but not forgotten.
Original photograph caption
Original photograph accompanying Mike the Mailman. The Paper, June 1980, page 5. Photographer not credited.
Originally published in The Paper, June 1980.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times1980_06.pdf, printed page(s) 5; PDF page(s) 5.
