After delivering the mail for more than three decades a local letter carrier has decided to take a different route ... to retirement.
Ed Warren is retiring from the Artesia Post Office after 31½ years as a postal carrier.
At his retirement party on Friday, Warren said he plans to play some golf and to just "enjoy life" during his retirement.
He and his wife, Sue, who retired from Western Bank about six years ago, sold their Artesia home four years ago and have been living in a new home between Mayhill and Cloudcroft as they prepared for Warren's retirement.
Warren has kept a home in Artesia, but has been spending most of his days off at the mountain home. He said he is looking forward to enjoying the mountain area and the cooler climate on a full-time basis.
His fellow employees bought him a coat as a retirement gift, to help him survive the mountain weather, they said.
A City-3 letter carrier, Warren most recently covered the downtown Artesia area, making deliveries to 793 postal customers. At times during his career he has had routes with more than 1,000 deliveries.
Last week Warren was presented with a safe driving award acknowledging 31 years of delivering the mail without an accident.
Postmaster Grace Sanchez presented him with a letter of commendation for his dedicated service to the USPS, and wished him a "very happy retirement."
Warren said the most enjoyable part of his career has been the relationships he has developed with his fellow employees and with the postal customers on his route.
"With 31 years there's a lot of memories," he said.
Warren's retirement is effective Jan. 1.
The Warrens have two adult children, Gina, who lives in Tucson, Ariz., and Douglas and his wife, Leann, who live in Albuquerque. They also have three grandchildren.