A Gibbons postmaster has retired after 23 years on the job.
Louise Latawiec, 64, was hired at the Gibbons Canada Post Office as a clerk on October 1, 2000.
"On a whim, I applied because someone said there might be an opening here," said Latawiec. "The postmaster at that time called me in to have a talk, she showed me where everything was and said, 'can you come in tomorrow?'."
"The ladies here knew me and when I dropped off my resume they told [the postmaster] that they knew me and that I would be a good worker, so I owe a lot to those ladies."
The climb to the top of the post office was rapid for Latawiec as she more than quadrupled her hours in just a year's time.
"I went from seven hours a week to 43 hours a week within a year because one lady went to be a postmaster in another office and one retired...so it was busy," said Lataweic.
When she first started at the post office there were about 900 postal boxes, there are now over 1700.
After working her first 10 or so years as a clerk, Latawiec was eventually promoted to the position of postmaster, which she has held for the past 12 years.
Her favourite part of the job was the social aspect.
"The customers were the thing I loved, I love people," said Latawiec. "It was just so much fun to be there for the customers and help them out."
The decision to retire was not an easy one, but it was something Latawiec became sure of after dealing with the latest Christmas rush.
"I worked until I got arthritis, and my body is just getting sore," said Latawiec. "It's time to let the young girls do all the work and for me to be home and relax a little bit."
Latawiec plans on spending her newfound free time connecting and spending time with some of her elderly relatives in local senior homes.
"I've been visiting some elderly relatives that I haven't had the chance to visit," said Latawiec. "I actually went to visit an 80-year-old aunt that had a hip replacement and had lunch."
She added that she also wants to find ways to help seniors. It seems that, even in retirement, Latawiec cannot shake that selfless spirit.
"That's kinda what I enjoy, I enjoy helping people."
(Louise Latawiec (middle) says goodbye to fellow Gibbons post office workers Shelby Trimble (left) and Carly Trach (right).)