Thorndale postmaster retiring but not leaving the community

Thorndale postmaster Jocelyne Rioux recently announced her retirement, effective March 10.

By Nancy Abra

After 20 years as Thorndale’s postmaster, Jocelyne Rioux will retire on March 10.

She began working at the federal post office in Lambeth in 2000. In 2006, she had a choice between Port Stanley or Thorndale but chose Thorndale for its proximity to her London home and her mother, for whom she was a caregiver. After her mother’s passing in 2015, Rioux moved to Thorndale to make it her home.

As postmaster at Thorndale Post Office, Rioux managed daily operations including secure mail processing and sorting, customer service at the front counter, transaction processing, staff supervision, financial recordkeeping and upkeep of cleanliness and safety.

Rioux recalled an unusual task at the Thorndale Post Office. One morning, she found a snake on the mat by the customer counter.

“I gently coaxed it into a jar,” recalled Rioux. “Not wanting to put it on the lawn outside near traffic, I asked a rural delivery worker to release it safely along her route. Her response was, ‘Well you’re the postmaster, so yes, I will do that.’

“That task certainly wasn’t part of my job description, but I’m happy it all worked out.”

Besides being a familiar smiling face at the customer counter, Rioux’s community participation reached out past the walls of the post office. She has demonstrated her acting skills at the Thorndale Dinner Theatre, where she assumed the lead roles in three productions over the years.

“As the community of Thorndale continues to grow, and even in this modern technical age, the Thorndale Post Office is busy,” Rioux said. “I am going to miss seeing our customers, who are the best in Canada, as far as I am concerned, and of course, the great people I work with. Even though I am retiring, I am not leaving this wonderful community as it is my home.

“Thinking back to when I came here 20 years ago, I am so glad I chose Thorndale.”