Since Judy Mittag began her career in the United States Postal Service, the cost of a stamp has increased from 6 cents to 37 cents.

Thirty-two years has brought about a lot of change in the postal service, and it is one of the reasons Mittag decided to retire.

“Since 9-11 the changes in security and the amount of work that has to go into it has just been overwhelming,” she said. “That’s part of the reason I decided to retire.”

Mittag will serve her last day on Friday, Jan. 31. Every time it is brought up she becomes teary eyed. The job meant more to her than sorting mail.

“It is really a community sort of job,” she said. As she talks customers walk in and out. The conversations sound like family members talking. Everyone knows her and she knows everyone.

“The small town, hands-on interaction is such a positive thing. You just know everyone in town,” she said.

With each person through the door, it seems that Judy continues in a conversation that has been going on for years.

A postmaster gets a view of a person that most others never get to see. Though each person is confidential, the mail a customer gets has been sorted by Judy. After 32 years, she has a pretty good idea of who they are.

A gift, a letter from Europe, a magazine: Each can tell a little story about a person.

“You get to know people from their mail,” she said. “As a postmaster you are pretty involved in people’s lives.”

Mittag also took great joy in children while postmaster. Each Christmas she would answer “dear Santa” letters. She’d talk with the parents of the children and find out a present the children might be getting from Santa if they were good.

She’d also give tours of the post office to first graders every year.

“I really loved seeing those kids each year,” she said.

Mittag plans on making the most out of her retirement. Glenville’s last postmaster, Nestor Sybilrud, will celebrate his 90th birthday the same weekend as she retires.

“He still golfs, he is very active,” she said. “One of my goals is to be that active in my retirement and live a quality life. He’s definitely a role model.”

Mittag said she plans to take time to work as a caregiver at Oak Park Place, spend more time with her mother in Austin, work at a YMCA camp in Wisconsin, fish and play cards.

But there is not doubt in her mind that she will miss her job.

“I’m going to miss interacting with people so much,” Mittag says, choking back tears. She takes a moment to pull off her glasses and wipe away tears. “I have always and still do, enjoy my job.”