Date: Fri 07-Nov-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: DOTTIE

Quick Words:

post-office-Tranquilli-retires

Full Text:

Mailman Gene Tranquilli Retires After 40 Years

BY DOROTHY EVANS

Longtime Sandy Hook mailman Gene Tranquilli delivered his last letter a week

ago to residents of the Berkshire Road area who live as far south as the

Monroe line.

After 40 years working for the postal service, Mr Tranquilli has retired, and

Friday, October 31, was his last day on the job.

The Southbury resident decided to hang up his mail bag after having spent more

than three decades delivering mail in the Newtown area.

Before that, he had been working as a city carrier in North Haven.

Not willing to let him go quietly into retirement, his cohorts at the Commerce

Road post office threw a party for Mr Tranquilli and Postmaster Dick Maguire

presented him with a plaque and Certificate of Retirement, calling him a "real

professional."

"Now Gene joins the ranks of two other distinguished Newtown carriers who have

celebrated 40 years' service, Art Titus and Jim Crick," said supervisor Peggy

Shab.

The postmaster had ordered hoagie sandwiches for all employees and the postal

workers took a 10-minute, mid-morning break to give their friend a hearty

send-off.

Jim Stiewing spoke for the group as he handed Mr Tranquilli a card signed by

many well-wishers and containing their gift contributions.

"He has been here a long time. He was one of the original Sandy Hook group,"

said Postmaster Maguire, shaking Mr Tranquilli's hand.

"That's 40 miles of mail and half a million miles of traveling," Mr Maguire

said.

Mr Tranquilli was asked about the changes he had seen over the years in the

way that the postal service delivered mail. What did he think of privatization

of the postal service and the new push for automation in letter sorting?

"Change always looks bad," said Mr Tranquilli.

A quiet man, he preferred a philosophical outlook.

"We're in the middle of change right now and it's not working smoothly yet. It

takes time."