Gaysville Postmaster Dorman Retires After Long Career

It was hard making the decision to leave the United States Postal Service after 37 years, and the Gaysville Post Office after 28 years, but postmaster Mary Ellen Dorman has decided to retire.

After high school, Dorman left the farm and went to Washington, D.C. to work at the Pentagon for the Dept. of the Navy Judge Advocate General’s office. She overcame being painfully shy, made her way around, and worked a second job at Hecht Co. in Arlington, Va. to make money to come home for Christmas, and then home for good, after one year.

The move brought her back to Tunbridge and then to Montpelier to work for the State of Vermont, Office of the Attorney General, where she spent five years, before deciding to go back to federal service.

At that time, the Postal Service was hiring from the Federal Register and the District Manager of the White River Jct. District hired Dorman as clerk/stenographer in White River. Nine years passed, the district was consolidated with New Hampshire, and they all moved to Manchester, N.H.—but not Mary Ellen, who came home to stay. She thought of becoming a rural carrier, as there were a few positions available and decided to look into that. Then district manager, James F. Howard decided she should go to North Stratford, N.H. for her OIC assignment. She finished that tour and then applied for the Gaysville Post Office. On May 30, 1980 she was sworn in as the postmaster. After taking details as OIC in Rochester, Waterbury, Pittsfield and going all over the state as the Ben Franklin Stamp Club Coordinator, she settled down in Gaysville and has enjoyed it thoroughly ever since.

Dorman said the hardest part of leaving the post office "is leaving all the wonderful people I’ve served all those years."

Dorman and her husband, Rob Dorman, live in Gaysville and have two daughters, so she hopes to see her friends around town.

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