If you ever find yourself taking the scenic route down Center Road, you will reach the post office in the “heart” of Easton. But the true heart of the post office is Postmaster Mary Biedermann. From making house calls to saving weddings, Biedermann has earned a reputation as a friend and neighbor to all.
Scrambling to send out her daughter’s wedding invitation, resident Barbara Reilly Dunne found herself drowning in a sea of envelopes and postage. Just when she thought she couldn’t do it, Biedermann came to the rescue. She went to work putting stamps on invitations and chasing down the delivery man to ensure that the invitations went out on time.
“She goes above and beyond, that woman,” said Dunne. “That’s who she is. Someone that cares and acts like your friend, like your next-door neighbor.”
As a certified public accountant, Craig Norton finds himself visiting the post office daily, always making a point to walk straight past the convenient bright blue mailbox outside to say hello to Biedermann. One day, an envelope arrived at Biedermann’s desk addressed to Norton with only his name and “Easton, Connecticut” written on it. Instead of putting it aside to be lost and forgotten, Biedermann called Norton at home to inform him about the envelope.
Biedermann’s kindness extends past her Easton community. It has reached as far as Latin America. Earlier this year, after the solar eclipse in April, she volunteered to collect used solar eclipse glasses to send them to a Utah-based company that will distribute them to schools and communities in Latin America to ensure everyone has the opportunity to experience the next solar eclipse. Thanks to Biedermann and countless others like her across the country, Eclipse Optics collected 150,000 pairs of glasses for students in Latin America.
As a young girl, Biedermann never dreamed of working for the U.S. Postal Service. But when she grew up, she found herself following in the footsteps of her father, who worked for the service.
“I saw what he did and went there for a tour and just ended up applying and getting the job,” said Biedermann
As Easton’s one-woman post office, she spends most of her time interacting with the community, helping them with their mail, answering questions and being a friendly face to all she meets.
She’ll post on Facebook when the post office is closed. And apologize for the inconvenience. If someone mailed a card with an incorrect address she’ll post it on Facebook. Need a local dog walker? Ask Mary. She’ll know. Looking to rent an apartment? Tell Mary. She’ll put the word out.
Biedermann has worked in the Easton Post Office for the past 39 years. She lives in Stratford, but Easton is her adopted home.
“It should not be scary to mail something,” said Biedermann. “I want everybody to go away from here and say they had a great experience.”
Biedermann said she often feels overwhelmed by the kindness and support the Easton community has shown her over the years.
“I have never been the person to go looking for attention like that,” said Biedermann. “I am just trying to be a nice person and help you.”
Helping out where she can comes as second nature for Biedermann, and it’s what has captured the admiration of her community. For her, it is what you do for your neighbor when you are a part of a community.
“I love this town,” she said. “Since the day that I came here, they have been so warm and loving, and I can’t imagine being any place else. I have no way to thank the people of Easton for being so good to me all these years.”
Featured photo by Rick Falco
