A longtime supervisor said Thursday that the Tifton post office “took a dip in its stock” Saturday when its postmaster died suddenly of a massive heart attack at his Moultrie home.

Employees at the post office are still shocked at the loss of longtime U.S. Postal Service employee and Tifton Postmaster James Lewis Griner, 51.

Supervisor Paul Mills said Griner began his duties as Tifton postmaster in March 2001. Chuck West, Adel’s postmaster, will fill in until the job is filled.

Griner’s office remains unchanged with his collection of bald eagle clocks, photos and memorabilia, his stamp collection, his model cars and family photographs right where he left them.

“He loved muscle cars,” said Mills, a 21-year employee of Tifton’s post office. “I was just discussing with Chuck that we needed to get his belongings together, but I haven’t been able to do it.

“One of his muscle cars was broken and I fixed it and just put it back on the shelf.”

Griner served as postmaster in Moultrie, Adel and Camilla before coming to Tifton’s post office, which employs about 50 people. He began his career with the U.S. Postal Service as a part-time city carrier in Moultrie.

West said Griner had a good personality and rapport with his employees.

“There was never a dull moment,” West said.

Mills said Griner would personally greet each employee every morning and had a well-known saying to break the ice if he couldn’t get a conversation started.

“He would say, ‘If I had your money and looks, I’d retire,’” Mills said.

Griner served as an air traffic controller in the U.S. Navy, Mills said, and had the opportunity to make more money in that profession, but Griner loved the U.S. Postal Service work.

Grief counselors were at the post office Wednesday talking with employees and handing out brochures with information about how to deal with the sudden loss of someone close.

“They offered one-on-one counseling and some employees took them up on it,” Mills said. “His presence is still here.”

Mills said Griner was looking forward to retirement and spending time with his family, as evidenced by his comments just a week before his death.

“He said, ‘Three years, three months and 10 days and I’m gone. You can kiss this fat man goodbye,’” Mills said.

Mills said Griner had signed on June 7 to the job as temporary officer in charge of Valdosta’s post office.

“They thought he was capable of running a much bigger office,” Mills said.

Mills leaves behind his wife, Sheila Rackley Griner of Moultrie; a son and daughter-in-law, Chad and Kristin Griner of Moultrie; a daughter and son-in-law, Bonnie and Nick Chastain of Cairo; a granddaughter, Morgan Caroline Griner; and a sister and her husband, Becky Griner Busbee and Fred W. Busbee Jr. of Thomasville.



To contact city editor Angie Thompson, call 382-4321.