Parenting in this day and age is not easy, and having a busy life can often interfere with maintaining a positive Christian environment at home. One Yazoo City man says that his relationship with God is what led him to a new career with the United States Postal Service, which has allowed him to be the best husband and father that he can be to his family.
Jimmy Druey is a Yazoo City native. He is the father of five children, Ashton, Macey, Mary Michael, Katie and Selah, and has been married to his wife Sharon for 15 years.
Druey attended Yazoo City High School, where he graduated with the class of 1984. He later attended Holmes Community College and Mississippi State University, where he achieved a Bachelor's Degree in Industrial Technology.
After college, Druey worked at Southern Bag for 11 years, and for the last 18 years he has been working as an Engineer's Technician alongside Yazoo County Engineer Larry Dixon, on various road and bridge projects.
"We design plans for bridges and roads, and we utilize state and federal funding," Druey said. "We just work on anything that the county needs us to do. Since I have been working with him, we have probably worked on many projects that have helped build or repair bridges, roads or culverts in Yazoo County."
Most recently, Druey and Dixon have been working to speed up efforts on replacing the Anding Oil City bridge located in the Little Yazoo area.
Druey is a faithful follower of Jesus Christ and has been a member of Parkview Church of God since its new campus was built on Hwy 16 in Yazoo City.
Druey said that Parkview was the place where he first met his wife Sharon, while practicing for an Easter program.
"Sharon and I met around Easter in 2005," he said. "I was a shepherd that year, and she was an angel up on the stage. We met in the foyer, and we were both barefooted. We ended up getting married the following October."
Druey said that both he and his wife work to maintain a faithful Christian household, and start each morning talking and praying for each other and the day ahead.
"You have got to make time to spend time with God in this day and age," he said.
Druey is currently involved at Parkview as an usher and can often be found at the church handling various activities, such as directing parking or greeting guests who the enter the church.
Druey was also recently elected to Parkview's Board of Christian Education this year, and he and his wife Sharon also serve on the Children's Council.
While Druey and his wife have worked to raise their family in a strong Christian home, they also work to spread the love of Jesus Christ within the children's youth and college ministries at Parkview on Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights.
"We have always taught anywhere from 3K to the sixth grade," he said. "But after taking a break to take a class for ourselves, we saw where there was a need to serve the college students, so we did that for a little over a year as well. We just go to wherever God puts us."
Druey said that he and his wife also maintain a collection of about 50 inspirational Christian films, such as Overcomer and the Passion of the Christ, which they share with friends or church members any time they are needed.
About three years ago, Druey felt God leading him into a new career direction, and after much faithful prayer and placing the future of his family in God's hands, Druey joined the United State Post Office as a rural carrier assistant (RCA).
"When I first started, I subbed for Route 2, which is around the Eden area, and I also filled in on other routes whenever I was needed," he said. "But then by the Grace of God, I was able to get on full time at the Post Office after three years, which usually doesn't happen."
Druey said that he has been working full time for the last six months, working six days a week, in all forms of weather.
"On my full time route, I deliver to Clubview Circle, the west side of Grand Avenue Extension, Country Club Drive and all that area behind the Yazoo Country Club," he said. "I also deliver to most of Highway 49, all the way up to Woodlawn and back."
Druey said that when at work, his daily duties, which start before 8 a.m. every morning, consist of casing and putting up the mail for his route, along with any packages that need to be delivered, and loading it all into his mail truck. From there Druey follows a strict schedule in order to deliver to each stop on his route around the same time every day.
Druey said that his favorite part about delivering mail is the many people he finds along the way.
"There are some really awesome and super nice people who live here in Yazoo County," he said. "Our people here are all so different, but they are also very friendly."
Druey added that in the past, some postal customers have often left small gifts in their boxes for mail carriers to find during the holidays, such as small treats or cookies.
Druey said that he is proud to be in a family that comes from a long line of postal workers.
"My wife's grandfather, F.O. Grey, was a postman," he said. "From there, her mother, Mary Porter retired from the Post Office, and her uncle, Theodore Grey works as a mail carrier. And after that came my wife Sharon who started at the post office in 1989, and her sister Tammie Bunch, they have been working here ever since, so I am proud to be a part of that too."
For Druey, the benefit of working for the Post Office is that it allows him to work and still have time to spend with his family.
"We stay busy for about eight hours a day, but I am usually off around 2:30 most afternoons," he said. "That way I can pick up my girls after school if I need to, or go work with Mr. Larry Dixon if he needs me. But the Post Office has really great benefits for its employees, and we are always looking for help."
Druey said that he also gets to be off work during federal holidays, and often makes the most of his time off by taking his children hunting or fishing.
Druey tries very hard to support his young daughters in all of their after-school activities, and can nearly always be found at a Manchester Academy sporting event.
"I have two cheerleaders, two basketball players, and about to have three soccer players, so we try to go as many ball games as we can," he said.
While Druey stays busy being a working father and a Christian leader, he gives all the glory to God for giving him this life to live.
"I shouldn't be working full-time at the Post Office after three years but I am, and that is only because the Lord answers prayers," he said. "The Lord provides, and He is good."
