Milwaukee's 'Mailman Mike' retiring, honored by Common Council

"Mailman Mike" honored by Milwaukee Common Council

Michael "Mike" Boothe, better known as "Mailman Mike," was honored on Tuesday, Sept. 19 by the Milwaukee Common Council for his 30-year career with the United States Postal Service.

Boothe worked as a letter carrier out of the N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. Post Office for his entire career -- and is retiring on Saturday, Sept. 23. He was given a chance to speak before the council – and had this "fatherly" advice.

"I have to wake up every day and go to work. So, my truth to me is to have a good day," Boothe said. "And I think all of us in here are dog-tired; think we should hold ourselves to that. We have to live like the children are watching us. Ya know, when they think you're cool, they're going to emulate you. So it's very important that you show the right example because they're sponges, and they're going to soak it up. So if you put the wrong example in front of them, they're going to soak that up."

A news release says Booth spent his childhood in the neighborhood around 26th and Hope, attended St. Agnes Grade School and Whitefish Bay High School, and after high school enlisted in the U.S. Army, where he was stationed in Germany for two years.

Watch complete Common Council presentation

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There will be another celebration of "Mailman Mike" at the Riverwest Farmers Market on Sunday, Sept. 24 from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m.