Woodland Hills Postal Carrier Dies In Heat Wave

WOODLAND HILLS, CA — Postal workers are mourning the loss of one of their own today after long time mail carrier Peggy Frank was found dead in her truck in the scorching 117-degree heat that hit Woodland Hills Friday.

The Los Angeles County Coroner’s department confirmed Frank’s death Monday, but the cause of her death remains undetermined pending further testing. Frank was found in her postal truck parked in the 4800 block of Calderon Road Friday during the peak of the heatwave, according to the coroner's office.

Friends remembered the 63-year-old mail-carrier as a cheerful soul who loved dogs. The North Hills resident spent 28 years serving the community.

“We feel very sad that this happened,” said U.S. Postal Service spokeswoman Evelina Ramirez. “At this time our thoughts and prayers are with the employee’s family at this difficult time.”

Postal carriers work in all kinds of extreme weather including heat waves, and they are encouraged to prioritize safety, Ramirez added. During heat waves, they are reminded to wear cool clothes and hats while bringing ice and water on their routes, she said.

Employees at the Woodland Hills post office told the LA Daily News that Frank and recently returned from medical leave when she died. (Get Patch real-time email alerts for the latest news from your California neighborhood. Also, download the free Patch iPhone app or free Patch Android app. Also, be sure to follow your local Patch on Facebook!)

“She was a sweetheart – always happy, even when she wasn’t feeling good,” co-worker Cindy Pritchard told the newspaper.

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Photo: David Allen/Patch