July 26 will mark the last time Boothbay Harbor letter carrier Ruth White delivers the mail. White is ending her U.S. Postal Service career that began 31 years ago in York.

White began working for the Postal Service on Feb. 27, 1988. Nearly two years later, she returned home delivering mail to Boothbay Harbor’s west side for the better part of three decades.

On her drive-and-deliver route, White has bonded with people she sees on a nearly daily basis. She delivers mail and has a conversation with many people, especially seniors, who eagerly anticipate her arrival.

“It’s more of a social occasion for me. I’ve been a fixture in their lives, and they’ve been a fixture in mine."

As she approached her last day, White wanted to thank the public and co-workers for making her career such a wonderful experience. “I want to thank all my wonderful customers for all their kindness. It has been a privilege to have been of service to them all these 30-plus years. And a huge thanks to my hardworking, dedicated co-workers for their comradery.”

Once she retires, White and her husband Christopher White plan on taking a boat to Florida for a year.