Longtime postal worker Ted Sasse is leaving the Graton Post Office

His last day behind the counter is Monday, May 4

Ted Sasse, a postal worker and Graton goodwill ambassador for the past 23 years, is moving on to a new postal location in Santa Rosa.

Ted has been a fixture in my life since I moved to town 17 years ago—and a mainstay for everyone else who stops by the Graton Post Office. He is the welcoming face at the post office who makes what can be a miserable experience totally enjoyable. I know people from elsewhere who bring their packages to Graton to mail just to interact with Ted.

I have yet to meet a Gratonite who doesn’t have a warm word for their experience with Ted. Three years ago, I interviewed Ted for my column in the Gazette, and his departure is a reason to recap a bit of his history.

He grew up in the San Fernando Valley. His dad was a Kaiser doc—after working in advanced, Nobel-qualifying research—and his mom held a PhD in a scientific field. When he turned 21, his dad told him to pick a French Burgundy from his wine cellar and give it a try. One taste and he was hooked on wine. In 1991, after finishing college at UC Riverside, he moved to Sonoma County to enter the wine business—cellar rat, sales, maker, etc. He did it for 12 years but felt his personality wasn’t suited to the sometimes-insane world of winemaking. After taking some time off in Europe, he returned, planning to pursue an advanced degree at Sonoma State. Fortunately for Graton, he needed a part-time job. He saw an opening for a rural carrier at the Graton post office, the first rural carrier in Sonoma County. That was in 2003, and except for a year off, he has been with us since.

While delivering mail, Ted came to realize how unique Graton was compared with other communities. “It is just a really kind place,” he said. That awareness changed his life (and ours!) and led him to take a full-time job behind the counter. Coming from the wine industry, he found it a breath of fresh air and decided to stay and become part of the community.

Ted owns a home in Graton, so he won’t be leaving our community, but his presence behind the counter will be deeply missed by the dozens of Gratonites who interact with him every day.

When I interviewed him, we talked for well over an hour, about not only him but also about the backstories of so many people in Graton. As he named people, he kept repeating: “I really respect (him or her) for their kindness and strength of character.” That feeling about the community is returned in kind.

Tuesday, May 4, will be Ted’s last day behind the counter. Stop by to say thanks.

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