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PdC postmaster retires

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By Correne Martin

After 34 years working for the United States Postal Service, Prairie du Chien Postmaster Darryl Martin retired at the end of September.

He started as a part-time clerk on May 29, 1982, in Prairie du Chien, sorting mail and running the window, where he quickly realized his gift of gab was a perfect fit for the customer-based business. It wasn’t long, however, before Martin slipped into the duty of carrying the mail.

From 1984 through 2006, he served as a part-time flexible carrier in the Prairie du Chien area.

“I enjoyed being outside and working with our customers,” Martin noted.

But after 22 years of the same, he stepped up into a postmaster job in Bloomington in 2006. There, he grew very fond of the people in the small community and being situated among the main street businesses for seven years.

In 2013, Martin returned to Prairie du Chien for the postmaster position, which has meant managing the rural post offices in the region as well.

Over the years, he’s learned not to take himself too seriously.

“My greatest accomplishment was implementing a “meet the neighbor” program. Whenever we deliver to the wrong person, it offered the chance to get to know your neighbor,” he joked.

Sincerely, he took the difficulties of the job along with the benefits. He was proud of his staff’s efforts for the Stamp Out Hunger food drive, which will hit 25 years in May 2017.

He said he will miss his customers the most, as he retires at home in Wauzeka, where he and his wife, Sharon, reside. He hopes to make the most of his work-free days by spending more time outdoors and babysitting his grandchildren.

Reflecting upon his time with the postal service, he said automation really changed the industry, “like everything else.” He wondered about the prospect of using drones in the future but, regardless, said he expects the mail service to become even more package oriented. The USPS is currently the main distributor for Amazon and he hopes it remains that way.

“The postal service has good people, not a lot of turnover. It’s a trusted entity. I hope that all continues,” Martin said.

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