Farmington’s first woman postmaster Susan Jones looks at portraits of former postmasters on Friday, May 6. She was installed as postmaster in 2010. A retirement ceremony will be held 11 a.m. Thursday, May 26, behind the Farmington Post Office. Pam Harnden/Livermore Falls Advertiser

FARMINGTON — Postmaster Susan “Sue” Jones is retiring May 31st and a ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, May 26, behind the post office.

Speakers will share the post office’s past, Jones’ postal history, and information about the incoming postmaster who has not been revealed.

The ceremony will have several patriotic songs sung or played by local friends – including ukuleles, bagpipes, and local school children. It will feature the installation of the new postmaster and the closing of Jones’ tenure.

“I will be speaking briefly,” Jones said recently. “There will be the reveal of my portrait that will be hung in the Farmington Post Office. Then there will be a time of refreshments afterwards and an open house in the lobby from 12-3 p.m. to visit.

“The ceremony will take about 35 minutes,” Jones noted. “There will be chairs available for those who need to sit. The ceremony is open to all.”

Jones enlisted in the United States Navy out of high school and worked as a postal clerk at the fleet post office on Midway Island. She also worked in a postal processing plant when stationed in Norfolk, Virginia.

After her military service ended, Jones was hired as a postal clerk in Lancaster, California, in 1982. She transferred to Portland, Maine, in 1984.

“While in Portland I had many jobs which rounded my knowledge of the postal service,” Jones said. “These jobs included window clerk, letter carrier, supervisor of most operations, and machine operator.”

Her claim to fame for knowing every zip code in the State of Maine was due to working on the letter sorting machine. Jones said she memorized the zip codes while letters passed in front of her one second apart.

In her postal management career Jones was a supervisor in Bath, then officer in charge in East Sebago, Westbrook, and Alfred. In 1996 she became Postmaster in Kingfield.

Jones came to Farmington as the officer in charge in 2005. She was installed as the first female postmaster at the Farmington Post Office in 2010. Including her military service in the US Navy, when she retires Jones will have completed over 42 years in the Federal government.

Farmington Postmaster Susan Jones seen in front is retiring later this month. She is looking forward to more time with family. Farmington Postal Clerks Zach Enman at left rear and Mariah Barden are doing their part to keep Jones from leaving early. Pam Harnden/Livermore Falls Advertiser

“I will miss the customers and being able to help them with all their postal needs from a situation that needs to be fixed or a new business in town needing help to mail items out,” Jones said. “I will miss the workers because they have come to be my family. The relationships I have developed with the employees will be hard to replace.”

Jones said she takes comfort knowing that the next postmaster will be perfect for her crew and customers. She often says the reason she can leave the helm is because someone better is going to take over.

Jones has contributed to each community she lived in, especially in western Maine. She started a free dance program for children of all ages and dance abilities that has lasted 23 years.

“The last program that was held had over 75 children that danced,” she said. “I always had a love for dance. Working with the local town [recreation departments] I was able to give a much needed lift to the local children.”

Jones has been a classroom volunteer. She has also been involved in school healthy eating programs, girl scouts, local fundraiser events, Summerfest children’s programs, recreation programs, church community outreach programs, etc.

“I love being involved in all community activities and love to bring my flair into each event,” she said.

Jones was born and raised in Saco.

“I loved the simplicity of life growing up,” she said. “There were no traffic lights to contend with.”

“When Kingfield came up for the postmaster position, I knew that I wanted to raise my children there…a place with no traffic lights,” Jones added.

Daughters Megan and Abigail loved living the simple life of Kingfield, she said. “They bring those memories with them as they both live in other states presently,” Jones noted.

While postmaster in Kingfield, Jones’ first daughter Christy contacted her through adoption.com. They reunited and have grown in love and friendship since then, Jones said.

Jones and her husband, John live in Farmington.

After retirement Jones said she plans to start a woman’s ministry at her church which will be an outreach to woman in need in the surrounding communities. She is trying not to plan too much but already her calendar is filling up, she said.

“I want to hike and bike in my free time,” Jones said. “I am mostly looking forward to traveling to California and North Carolina to visit my daughters and grandchildren.”