BREWER, Maine — Dozens of U.S. Postal Service employees gathered in Brewer Friday to bid farewell to a longtime colleague.
William Shaefer, 54, of Brewer died unexpectedly Wednesday after a 35-year career as a letter carrier, working out of the Bangor Post Office, according to his obituary.
In Schaefer’s honor, the Postal Service gave letter carriers in Bangor, Brewer and Hampden time off to attend Schaefer’s funeral service at St. Teresa Catholic Church, where the mailman’s co-workers showed up in a convoy of mail trucks and served as pallbearers.
Born in New York, Schaefer joined the postal service at age 19.
He is survived by his wife, Norina Schaefer, daughter Katelyn Schaefer of New York and son Kevin Schaefer of Portland, as well as his parents and a sister.
Burial will be at a later date on Long Island, New York. Those who wish may make memorial contributions to the Bangor Humane Society, 693 B Mt. Hope Ave., Bangor, ME 04401 or to a local food pantry.