U.S. Postal Service employees remove postal property such as sorting tables and P.O. boxes from the Burton Post Office on Friday, the day after its final day of operation. (Photos by Amy Witschey)

The Burton Post Office officially closed its doors Thursday.

Jean McClelland, “temporary” postmaster there for the past two-and-a-half years, said the area’s postal customers are understandably sad that they are losing the office. “It feels like part of them is disappearing,” said McClelland. “One woman said she’s had the same (P.O.) box for 50 years.”

The office’s demise is part of the U.S. Postal Service’s widely publicized cuts during financial difficulty. Offices in Smithfield and Folsom are still being looked at for possible closure.

The U.S. Postal Service says it is “right-sizing” its expansive retail network by conducting studies of approximately 3,700 retail offices to determine customer needs. As part of this effort, the Postal Service also introduced a retail-replacement option for affected communities around the nation. Called Village Post Offices, these replacements are operated by local businesses, such as pharmacies, grocery stores and other appropriate retailers, and offer popular postal products and services such as stamps and flat-rate packaging.

Thankfully, no postal employees are losing their jobs because of the closure of the Burton location. McClelland is now classified as a PMR, postmaster relief or replacement. She’ll get less hours, but the change doesn’t seem to bother her.

Jean McClelland was able to take home the Burton Post Office sign that was made by the Hundred High School shop class a couple years ago. McClelland has worked at the now-closed office for a little over three-and-a-half years.

“She’s very dedicated,” said USPS Closing Coordinator Ed Barkley on Friday while removing postal property from the office near Burton Park.

The singular postal carrier out of the Burton office will also retain her job, only now she’ll have to go to Mannington to get the parcels.

Also on the positive side, it is only a two-mile journey from the former Burton Post Office’s location to the Hundred Post Office.