NORTH FLORIDA — The Post Office in Melrose, FL will soon bear the name of one of its own.
In a 10 a.m. ceremony to be held Aug. 26, 2024, at the office at 859 North State Road 21, the building will be dedicated as the Pamela Jane Rock Post Office. Rock was a letter carrier who died in 2022 after being attacked by dogs while delivering mail in Interlachen, FL. The event is free and open to the public.
In May, President Joe Biden signed into law a bill sponsored by Rep. Aaron Bean and Rep. Kat Cammack to dedicate the facility to the USPS employee.
“Pam had a servant’s heart, and it was obvious in the way she lived her life. While her time on this earth was tragically cut short, she served the U.S. Post Service with passion and integrity,” said Congressman Bean. I’m looking forward to this special renaming ceremony where we will be able to see Pam’s name on display for the first time, officially memorializing her commitment to Floridians.”
Rock, the youngest of 14 children, was born and raised in Plantation, FL. After graduating from the University of Florida, she worked for the Alachua County Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program. She also served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala for three years and later worked on the Crow Indian Reservation in Montana teaching nutrition. She vociferously advocated on Capitol Hill for the needs of women and children trapped in poverty before joining the Postal Service as a letter carrier in January 2022.
Rock’s family feels the building will serve as a tangible reminder of the impact she made on others.
“Dedicating the Melrose Post Office as the ‘Pamela Jane Rock Post Office Building’ has a profound significance to our family,” said Heidi Wright, Rock’s niece. “It represents a lasting tribute, honoring Pamela’s contributions, her public service abroad serving in the U.S. Peace Corps, as a local postal carrier, and countless years spent caring for others in her own community. This recognition not only immortalizes her legacy but also brings a sense of pride and honor to our family, reinforcing the values and accomplishments she was able to achieve.”