Connie Waldon started working for the United States Post Office after a friend of her mother’s told her it was the “best job she’d ever had.” After 36 years, Waldon said she can’t disagree.
“I started at the post office in Pontiac right after high school,” said Waldon, who retired from her job at the Lake Orion Post Office on Oct. 31. “It’s kind of like being part of the community (working at the post office)…You’re involved in a lot of different things. The days go by fast.”
Waldon, a Lake Orion native, said when she became eligible for retirement this year she decided it was time to say good bye.
“I figured 36 years was enough. It’s time to do something different,” she said. “I want to just enjoy life, and take it day to day for a while.”
Waldon has two children and three grandchildren in the area, and plans to spend a fair amount of her new-found free time with them.
“Now they’ll be the center of my attention,” she said.
After six years at the Pontiac Post Office and 30 in Lake Orion, Waldon has held nearly every position offered. She worked the window for a while and said she made a lot of friends in the community that way.
“When L/S was still around, I couldn’t get out of there…I’d spend an extra 45 minutes talking to people I knew,” she said. “I’ve made a lot of friends (at the post office).”
Waldon plans to keep in touch with her co-workers and attend retirement parties for several others who are retiring in the next year.
“I’ll be around,” she promised.
Although she doesn’t have any specific plans, Waldon will have no problem keeping busy after she retires.
“My free time has mostly been geared towards my family. My daughter just got married, and we planned a big wedding so that was fun. There are a lot of things I plan to do, but not for a while,” she said.
“I’m going to live my life to the fullest, and enjoy my children and my grandchildren,” she added.
Waldon has seen the post office go through many changes since she’s worked there, including two moves and the introduction of automation to their system.
“One thing I’ve learned is if you can’t handle change, don’t work at the post office,” she said. “Nothing’s (been made) easier…We just handle things differently. The mail volume here has grown so much.
“When I started here, we had eight city routes and four rural…now we have 12 city and 19 or 20 rural routes,” Waldon said.
One thing Waldon won’t miss about her job is the schedule.
“I plan on sleeping for a week,” she said.