Joe Kotowicz starts his days at the Leonard Post Office every morning promptly at 7 a.m.
First, he sorts the mail out for his route, then he bundles it up and heads out onto the road.
It’s been his daily schedule for the last 38 years.
But on June 8, Kotowicz will slide his last batch of letters into a mailbox, as he will officially begin his retirement.
‘It’s going to be strange not coming into work,? he said.
The 63-year-old lifelong resident of Leonard said he has thoroughly enjoyed his career as a letter carrier.
‘What other job can you do where you can drive every day and see the changing of the seasons?? he asked.
A funny comment, seeing as how he never planned to get involved with the U.S. Postal Service.
Kotowicz had been working at the Rochester Paper Mill when he was asked to substitute for a letter carrier at the Rochester Post Office and then eventually at the Leonard Post Office.
The letter carrier he was subbing for in Leonard ended up taking a sick leave, so Kotowicz was asked to take over his position.
Back in 1969, the Leonard Post Office was actually located across the road from where it is now on E. Elmwood, and had only one route of mail to deliver, where now there are four.
Letter carriers used to make 392 stops and now make at least 1,600.
Because letter carriers have to use their personal vehicles to deliver the mail, Kotowicz said he has gone through seven vehicles and has driven more than one million miles.
For over three decades, he has delivered mail on the same route east of Rochester Rd., and has become acquainted with his ‘customers,? as he like to call them.
He would offer a kind greeting to those on his route. He would even offer gardening tips to others.
‘You really get to know the people,? he said, as he bundled up the mail for Thursday’s delivery.
One of his most memorable moments delivering mail was when he missed lunch due to a four-legged friend.
Kotowicz’s wife, Janet, had brought him a footlong sub sandwich from Subway.
He left the sub on his truck seat as he delivered a package to a resident. The woman’s dog decided to hop into his truck and devour the entire sandwich.
‘I went hungry that day,? he joked.
Although Kotowicz said he will miss his days in the mailroom with his fun co-workers, his colleagues jokingly said they’ll miss his cooking the most.
‘We will miss his chocolate cake,? said Bobi Jablinskey. ‘He makes the best chocolate cake.?
Bonnie Rathburg said it’s amazing how hard a worker Kotowicz is and that he will be hard to replace.
‘It’s hard to find someone with his work ethic nowadays,? she said.
Bill Moskal, Postmaster for the Leonard office, said everyone will miss Joe and the ‘positive attitude? he always brought to his work.
Kotowicz? retirement plans include fishing, hunting and spending time with his two sons and his grandchildren, Madisyn, Allisyn, Jamison and Jocelyn.
The public is welcome to stop by the Leonard Post Office June 8 to say goodbye to Kotowicz and wish him well.
Refreshments will be available.