Q&A: Coal Run postmaster looks ahead to retirement
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Frank Engle
- Age: 76 on Aug. 3.
- Home: Coal Run.
- Family: Wife, Lorena; three grown children; nine grandchildren; one great grandson
- Occupation: Retired from Ohio Power after 38 years; former contract postmaster for Coal Run post office; U.S. Navy in Korean conflict.
Keeping up with the Joneses and the Smiths has been par for the course for Frank Engle and his wife, Lorena, who have dedicated many years of their lives to the post office in the tiny hamlet of Coal Run, near Beverly.
Friday will be the last day on the job for Frank Engle as he has decided to retire to enjoy his family and to travel.
Question: How did you come by this job?
Answer: My wife was the last postmaster in Coal Run before it went to a contract place. She retired in 1995. I retired after working for Ohio Power for 38-plus years. Our volume (in Coal Run) wasn't enough to have a full postal facility so I took it on contract because we wanted to be able to keep our ZIP code and Coal Run address. The old post office was in a house that burnt down. Rather than lose it, I bought an Amish-built 16-foot by 20-foot building. We made it real nice. The postal people were pleased with it and everyone in the community pitched in.
Q: What were your job duties?
A: I did everything they do in a regular post office - incoming and outgoing mail, money orders. And I reported to the Beverly post office every day. It just worked out really well.
Q: The Coal Run post office was more than just a building. What did it mean to the community?
A: It's going to be a big loss to the community when it closes. It was a gathering spot. I enjoyed seeing the people but we'll probably still get together and meet. I tried to see if anyone wanted to take it over but didn't get any takers.
Q: What will you do now with your free time?
A: Oh, we want to travel. We've spent a lot of time in Myrtle Beach over the past 45 years so we'll probably go down there. I'm also in the American Legion so we'll probably travel to the convention and we follow the tournament (baseball) games. I just want to enjoy my retirement but I'll probably get bored and want another job. I enjoyed (the postmaster job). It's been a great thing and something I wish I had done all along.
Erin O'Neill conducted the interview.
