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Craigville Postmaster Loretta Smith retires this week after 33 years of service.
More than a dozen members of this close-knit Wells County community turned out to surprise her with a farewell party complete with balloons a luncheon and three homemade, hand-decorated cakes.
“This is much more than I expected,” Smith said, exchanging good wishes with the folks who just stopped by to say so long.
“It will be different not working here but I have a lot of things I want to do,” Smith said.
First among those things to do are visits to both sets of twin grandchildren, a newborn granddaughter in Pennsylvania and getting out the Harley Touring motorcycle she enjoys riding with her husband Dave.
In her three decades with USPS, 18 years as Postmaster in Craigville, Smith has seen many changes. From the equipment they use to the trends in business, nothing is as it was.
Smith and her husband Dave raised a family, including two sets of twins at a home just five minutes from the post office.
“I started at the post office in 1975 and by 1979 had five kids,” she said. Being close to work meant having the flexibility to care for her children and her career.
“If I needed to work part-time, I could. And when I was ready to work full time, that was available to me also.”
When she first joined the postal service, personal computers were still a thing of science fiction. That has all changed.
“When I first came to this office, we didn’t even have an electric calculator,” she said.
Today she doesn’t know how they ever got along without them.
Of course, for her the changes were gradual. One system upgrade every year or so. For her replacement it will be a crash course.
“The new guy has to learn everything at once,” she said. “I had time to pick it up. But he’ll do just fine.”
Smith’s interim replacement will be Officer in Charge, Dick Beck. He is on vacation this week, in preparation for his first day as the new boss next week.
Faith Hirschy is Postmaster Relief in Craigville, Smith’s second-in-command.
She has worked with Smith for 11 years and is sad to see her go, but happy to see her old boss getting a much deserved break.
“For 33 years she has worked for the Postal Service and if anyone deserves a break, she does,” she said.
Postmasters from several area offices stopped by to offer their best wishes.
Dave Lewis, Ossian Postmaster and Smith’s former boss said he knew all along she was destined for Craigville.
“Anytime we can put someone local into the office which is closest to where they live, it’s a great thing,” he said.
Christine Hunt, Markle Postmaster, made the trip across the county just to say goodbye.
“Loretta was an institution around here,” she said. “She made this community a real family.”
“Dawn Gerardot, Ft. Wayne Postmaster, was on hand during the festivities to thank Smith for her years of excellent service and wish her well in the future.
“The United States Postal Service has seen a lot of transition, been through a number of changes since Loretta first joined us,” she said. “But always she remained ready to serve her community.”
As the morning turned to afternoon, citizens of Craigville continued to filter through the festivities. Sometimes with tears as they bid farewell to a friend, but always with a smile for someone they all have considered a member of their extended family.
jerryb@news-banner.com
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