Godfrey postmaster retires after 25 years of service

Jeff Green | Jan 07, 2010

Godfrey postmistress Shirley McGowan 

Shirley McGowan of Godfrey was surprised when the local area manager and supervisor and a few of her Canada Post chums showed up at McGowan’s Store in Godfrey on December 11 on her 68th birthday to present her with her Canada Post retirement certificate.

Shirley recalled, “I put in my notice three months ago but didn’t know that they would be paying me a goodbye visit.”

December 12 was Shirley’s last official day as postmistress in Godfrey after 25 years of service.

Born in the town of Drayton north of Kitchener, Shirley moved to the area after meeting her husband of 47 years, Les McGowan, who grew up near 30 Island Lake just east of Godfrey. Together they have owned and operated McGowan’s Store and Gas Bar in Godfrey for 44 years.

Shirley took over as Godfrey's head postmaster in November of 1983 when Piccadilly resident and former postmaster Les Judge was forced into retirement when he turned 65.

Shirley recalled, “It was pretty much down to the wire when Les asked me to take over.” She joked, “The way I remember it is that I really wasn’t that interested in the job but Les (my husband) thought it would be a good thing for me to do.”

For her first few months as postmistress Shirley worked from Judge’s home in Piccadilly where the post office was originally located. She recalled the quaint, old-fashioned metal wicket through which she passed stamps, letters and parcels to her customers.

Later in May of 1984 Shirley won the competition for the permanent position and the post office then moved to McGowan’s Store where it has been located ever since.

When asked about retiring now Shirley recalled a conversation she had with a niece who told her, “You’ll know when it’s time.” Shirley joked that the timing of her retirement had “absolutely nothing to do with the new computer system that was introduced in August of 2008.” Instead she admitted to being “very pleased” with how she progressed on the computer, thanks to the help she received from Rozanne Leonard-Stewart, Cheryl Gordon and Lou Richard, postmasters from the Hartington, Parham and Westbrooke branches, who gave her lots of encouragement and help.

Shirley then explained the real reason for calling it quits. “To be honest, it’s really just my age. I just turned 68 and Les and I just decided that we needed to free up time for whatever time we have left.” The McGowans have four children and nine grandchildren and Shirley already has plans for a February trip to Vancouver to visit her son and his family. She also has tickets to see some of the Olympic figure skating competitions, a passion of hers since she was a youngster. “I’ll definitely be rooting for the Canadian skaters.”

What will she miss most after retiring? “The people. When you work with the public, you get to really know a lot of very good people. That’s what I will definitely miss most.”

Friends and acquaintances who have come to know Shirley over the years, and who like myself have enjoyed her sense of humour, need not fret. She will continue to help run the store and gas bar with her husband Les.

For Canada Post customers in Godfrey, service will temporarily be running out of the Verona Post Office until a replacement for the position is found.