The Hartley Sentinel-The Everly/Royal News - Serving O'Brien & Clay Counties

Darla Meyer is putting a stamp on her 33-year career with the U.S. Postal Service.

Friday, July 31 will be the longtime mailwoman's final day as postmaster in Hartley. After thinking about it for the better part of a year, this month she decided that now is the right time to hang it up.

"There are a lot of mixed emotions," she said. "I'm going to be sad because it's what I've done for 33 years, but I'm happy that I'm to this point in my life."

Meyer started as a substitute carrier for Rodney Ahrenstorff in Hartley back in 1987. Her tenure with the USPS took her all across northwest Iowa, and she's spent time at a dozen different post offices.

Most notably, she held the postmaster title in Archer, Everly and Hartley.

"It took me 33 years, but I made it all the way around the circuit," she said.

Meyer recalled her early days fondly. Not only was she carrying mail, but she was also pregnant with one of her two sons. Her very visible belly made for some interesting conversations with postal patrons.

"That was probably the funniest thing," she said. "My belly was so big. All the old ladies would tell me to get home and ask me what in the world I was doing, but back then I was young and I felt good."

Meyer has witnessed a variety of changes in the Postal Service. The volume of mail has declined significantly since the 1980s and 1990s while the number of packages has skyrocketed. Automation has also benefitted patrons with increased tracking information.

"Now we scan everything every step of the way. Before, there were no tracking numbers on anything when I first started," she said. "In that regard, it's gotten better for the consumer."

The USPS itself has changed drastically to reflect the trends. Rural locations have slashed hours, consequently transferring administrative duties to larger offices nearby. Meyer now oversees operations at Melvin in addition to Hartley.

"There is so much more paperwork and reports to turn in each day than there used to be," she said.

Meyer also noted weather always played a stressful role in her job as postmaster. The mail never stops, which forced her carriers and drivers to brave the elements during blizzards and other precarious situations.

"I worry about these guys when they get out in a blizzard. It's nerve-wracking," she said. "They're my employees and they're my friends. I worry about them every time they go out every morning."

NICK PEDLEY/SENTINEL-NEWS

Darla Meyer has served roles with the USPS in a dozen different northwest Iowa communities.

All that worrying will be a thing of the past soon. Meyer was excited about retirement, and she plans to dedicate more time to the many community groups she's a part of. She's a member of the Hartley ambulance team, secretary of the Hartley Chamber of Commerce and is co-president of the classic car club Old Iron Company. She's also a member of the I.E.F. Club in Hartley and sells Avon.

She said her husband, Russ, is planning to retire next year. The couple hopes to visit their two sons more often.

Though she's ready for retirement, Meyer knew what she'll miss most about being at the post office.

"I'll miss seeing the people every day," she said. "You're connected to the community, and that's the reason I wanted to come back to Hartley and be postmaster here. I missed the people in this community."

She'll always have the friendships she's forged over the years, too.

"You meet so many people. I'm a social person, and I like talking to everybody," she said. "I couldn't do a job where I couldn't talk to people. I've got some lifelong friends that I've met along the way."