You all have seen the brown UPS truck zipping all over Italy. You have probably waved at the driver and you got a wave and a big smile back. Well, that man is Hal Cox and he has been running the Italy UPS route for about twenty four years. Cox, who has been with UPS for thirty years is retiring and today is his last day.

When asked if he always wanted to work for UPS, Hal responded, “No, I was motivated by the money I could make and it worked out well.”

Hal would work all day and return home by about nine o’clock at night. “My wife really wants me home at night, so I decided I put in thirty years and it was time to retire and spend time with my wife.”

Hal made deliveries to every business in town, Monolithic Constructors, the Post Office, Dr. John’s office, the Magic Mirror and many more. He is well known around town and will be missed.

Hal said, “I am going to miss all the people I made deliveries to and others that just stopped to say ‘Hi’. The people is what made the job and it is the people I am going to miss.”

When asked what he would be doing after he retires Hal replied, “I am going to fish and work on my wife’s long ‘honey do’ list.”

Hal went on to say, “I have been to many towns all around Waco. Out of all the areas I have delivered to Italy folks are the best. God bless everyone and their families in everything they do.”

Happy retirement Hal, we are going to miss you!

Comment by John Droll, 7/26/11-9:32am

The door bell rings at 9:30 or 10 at night and you wonder, who in the world is here at this hour.  The first few times I see a light shining in my door or bouncing around the front yard and I immediately think it’s the police and wonder what’s wrong.  But I learned many years ago that it’s Hal, the UPS man, making another delivery.  Like many of you I met Hal about 20 years ago.  He always had a smile and something pleasant to say when he made those afternoon deliveries.  Somehow he still has the same outlook at 10 pm after a 12 hour day that hasn’t ended yet. 

He disappeared a few years while he was working in another area, but he returned to these dusty roads. But those days are going to end.  This is Hal’s last week ringing my doorbell at 10 pm.  He’s going to retire and stop driving these country roads so late at night.  His will be a hard act to follow for the future “man in brown” and his pleasant demeanor will be missed in today’s world of snarly and uncaring retailers and service workers.

When you see that brown truck rolling through town this week please wave a little harder and smile a little more.  They still make them like Hal, just not as many.