After 30 years in the Postal Service, Foster Postmaster Donna Price is retiring.
Those interested are invited to an open house from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday, Price’s last day, at the Rez next door to the Foster Post Office for refreshments and reminiscing.
Price began working at the Foster Post Office in 1972.
“I lived right next door,” she said. “My son was just a year old, and we were building a house out in the narrows.”
Mary Hodge, a longtime friend of Price’s family, was postmaster at the time.
“There was a position open at the time,” Price said. “She said why don’t you come over and take the test.”
At the time, Price was driving school bus and the town’s taxi part time. She took the test and scored decently. She started delivering mail and working as a part-time clerk, then she started delivering part time in Sweet home from Seventh to Ninth avenues as well as working Saturdays at Foster.
The postmaster position opened up in Crawfordsville, and Price went there.
“I love Crawfordsville,” Price said. “I really like the town, the people are friendly. I got to know them all. I hated to leave them.”
The pay was a little higher, and Price needed the extra money, she said, so she took the Foster postmaster position in August 1988.
“It wasn’t a booming post office,” Price said. “It was slow and easygoing. When I got here, business started to increase. She had customers follow her from Crawfordsville. “My business, just in the first few months, just doubled.’
At the time, Foster had 237 boxes. Within a year, they were all rented, and the post office had a waiting list for boxes.
Six years ago, the post office remodeled and went to 412 boxes, but those are not all rented.
Over 30 years in the postal service, it’s been the people that have held Price’s interest.
“I would say the people,” Price said. “You hear that from everyone, but the people are just like family. I know a lot about my customers, sometimes maybe more than I should know. I know about their personal problems and personal triumphs.”
One Riggs Hill customer who takes her time getting inside from the car, noted that people will go inside looking down. When they come out, they’re laughing.
“I have a good time with people,” Price said. She hopes that helps lift their spirits. “I’m going miss seeing them daily. I love being able to help people,” whether that means listening, giving advice or helping with special needs.
Most of all, she will miss “all the bright, shiny faces and Kuyanam,” Price said giggling. Kuyanam Kim, owner of Glen’s Market, dropped in while Price was talking about her retirement.
“I’m looking forward to free time, time in the middle of the day when I can to the store, visit someone and not have to take annual leave to do it,” Price said. “It’s just nice to have freedom.”
Her big plans are to spend the next six months or so cleaning house. She is planning a three-week trip to Hawaii during that time. After that, she wants to travel with her husband, T.R., with his work. He does warranty work on mobile homes.
Many of Price’s customers will miss her. One scrawled “no way” on a sticky note and attached it to a flyer announcing her retirement party and open house.
“I’m going to miss all of you guys awful,” Price told one set of customers as they left.
“I tell people that I have mixed emotions, but not that mixed,” Price said. “I’m ready.”
Darcy Stilwell will be officer in charge at Foster Post Office starting Feb. 2. Postmaster selection could take between two weeks and two months.
Stilwell currently is postmaster leave replacement.
“She’s very knowledgeable on postal matters, very personable and she’s looking forward to it,” Price said. “She just loves the people, fits right in, and everyone loves her.”
Price has operated the Rez next door for several years, offering people in the Sweet Home community a place to hang out on Fridays for inspirational music and activities. The fate of the Rez will be decided in March. At this point, the Rez continues to feed people on Thursday nights with the Dinner with Daisy program.
Price wanted to encourage people to come to her open house. There will be photos taken over the years and a book to sign; and she wants to assure everyone that she will be taking a lot of pictures herself.