Nathan Straus Photo Suzanne Praytor, Murchison postmaster Suzanne Praytor just recently started work as Murchison Post Office's postmaster, and she's got around 20 years of post office experience to back up her position. She started work November 21, filling the position left vacant since former Murchison Postmaster Ann Lewis' departure in January, 2008.

Praytor said her postal service career began about 20 years ago in Corsicana as a rural carrier.

"Working for the post office seemed like a good career move," she said. "There are good retirement benefits. "

Before arriving in Murchison, she worked in Powell, also as a postmaster. Before Powell, she was Rosser's postmaster for three years. She currently lives in Gun Barrel City, and makes the drive to Murchison for a total of over 45 hours of hard work each week.

Praytor describes herself as a curious person who always likes to know how things work on the inside, and no job within postal system grants this knowledge more than the postmaster's.

"The post office is changing because of new technology, " she said, "but they're coming full circle and realizing customer service always comes first."

Things like being able to meet customer demands are of utmost importance, Praytor said.

The postmaster's job entails just about every kind of work there is to do inside a post office.

Any given business day, Suzanne Praytor can be found doing everything from working the postal desk to cleaning up around the office.

"It's whatever needs to be done, and a lot needs to be done each day," she said.

Her coworkers are a big help in day-to-day activities.

"They're the best," Praytor said. "They're very considerate, and all my customers like them."

One thing the new postmaster loves about Murchison is the people from the area, who are equally considerate and very personable. JoAnn Perry, Post Office clerk in Murchison, said the new postmaster has fit right into the community post office.

"She's wonderful," Perry said. "A hard worker; she's been nothing but a benefit to the post office."

Of all the things Praytor has learned in her 20 years of postal work, it's that there's always room for improvement; both for the business and for yourself, she said.