A dedication ceremony to rename the U.S. Post Office building in Melrose after the late Pamela Jane Rock is slated for Monday, Aug. 26.
The event, which is open to the public, will be held at 10 a.m. at the post office (850 N. State Rd. 21).
Rock was a letter carrier who died in 2022 after she was attacked by dogs while delivering mail in Interlachen.
According to a U.S. Postal Service (USPS) release, President Joe Biden signed into law in May a bill sponsored by Rep. Kat Cammack and Rep. Aaron Bean that dedicated the Melrose 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 Bean in the press release. “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.”
According to the release, “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 said renaming the building after the letter carrier will serve as a 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, in the press release. “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.”