1984: Grandmother, postmaster awarded Sagamore of the Wabash

GOLDSMITH, Ind. — Sixty-eight-year-old Thelma Stouder decided to take the civil service exam at an age when most people consider retirement.

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Just two years later, Stouder would become the oldest living postmaster in the state of Indiana.

The Tipton County community of Goldsmith had about 275 residents when Stouder became postmaster in 1970. The mail, once delivered by rail, was now her responsibility. While Stouder’s duties included sorting mail and keeping the books, she also kept up with town gossip.

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“I know everything that goes on in Goldsmith,” Stouder said. “I know the people who have trouble or are bad about things. They are just anxious to come in and talk.”

Stouder herself was the talk of the town in 1984, when Indiana Governor Robert Orr presented the 83-year-old with the state's highest honor, the Sagamore of the Wabash.

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Despite the recognition, Stouder told Horth that she had no plans to retire.

“I’m glad that I have something to do,” Stouder said. “I didn’t want to go home and just sit down.”

Thelma Stouder died Nov. 29, 1996 at the age of 95.