Caralee Barker of Tarkio is now working full-time in the Fairfax Post Office. (Submitted photo)

Kay Graves of Fairfax, Missouri, is going from a very busy woman to one now enjoying a life of leisure. She recently handed over the reigns of running her flower shop to her granddaughter, Jaycee Graves, and has also retired as Postal Clerk at the Fairfax Post Office.

Kay began as a clerk in Fairfax for Barney Farley around 2009. She then clerked at Craig Post Office in Craig, Missouri, as well as the Tarkio, Missouri, Post Office before coming back to Fairfax for the past four years. Because the postmaster is overseeing multiple offices, but is headquartered in Tarkio, Kay was responsible for working the window, sorting the mail, and sending the carriers out from the Fairfax office. The number of packages has soared over the past few years, although the letters have declined. But now that everything is computerized, it makes things easier. Kay said she really enjoyed her years spent serving the community, especially her hometown crowd.

Taking Kay’s place at the Fairfax Post Office is Caralee Barker of Tarkio. Caralee has been employed with the United States Postal Service since August of 2021 and has served in Tarkio, Westboro, Fairfax, Skidmore, and surrounding communities, anywhere she was needed. Now she spends her days sorting mail and packages in Fairfax, as well as occasionally helping to deliver express mail. Fairfax does not have any city carriers, so the post office stays busy with people coming in to check their post office boxes. Two rural carriers deliver mail to those customers in the country. Caralee said she’s happy to be working full-time in Fairfax and encourages anyone needing postal services to stop by the post office at 104 Denny Street.