Former Iola High grad returns as postmaster

For the first time in about three years the Iola Post Office has a permanent postmaster. 
Deona Joy, 1982 Iola High School graduate, officially took the job in October, but didn’t start working in Iola until mid-January. She took over for Charlotte Stout.
Joy grew up in Chanute but moved to Iola when she was a sophomore in high school. She also attended a few classes at Allen Community College and Neosho Community College.
“I never thought I would return to be postmaster someday,” Joy said. “I have been working in the postal service for 26 years and 22 of those years have been as a postmaster.”
Joy was working as a detail supervisor at the Olathe Post Office prior to Iola and has worked in Altoona, Buffalo and Benedict.
As postmaster, Joy works with some customer sales, manages four rural and five city routes and employees, does time and financial keeping.
“After I get a chance to settle in I would like to go to the local businesses and see what they might need,” she said.
Joy said the days of moving around are over for her. She lives in the country between Altoona and Chanute with her husband and “two very spoiled toy poodles” and is ready to settle down in this position.
“I have a lot of aspirations (for Iola) from the inside out,” she said. “I want to make more community connections. I plan on being very involved.”

JOY recently returned from a trip to Washington D.C. to visit with Congressmen and Senators to “save our facilities and promote rural post offices.”
Joy said movement to make postal service five days a week has been a hot topic, but one that she and her fellow postmasters have been waiting to hear the outcome of.
“If it does goes through, the Saturday delivery won’t go away completely. The office would still be open, it would simply be modified a little bit,” she said.
She said the decision will hopefully be clearer in August but right now everyone is playing the waiting game.
While in D.C. she was able to tour the national monuments and Arlington Cemetery and take a private tour of the Pentagon.

BEING back in Iola might have been the last thing Joy expected but she said she is glad to see that Iola is still growing and staying alive.
“I worked at Sonic back in the day and I have worked at some places that aren’t even here anymore,” she said.
Joy used to work at the small cafe that is now El Charro. Coming back and seeing the changes doesn’t crush her nostalgia, in fact it brightens her optimism.
“I have fond memories. I like to see Iola has changed and that businesses didn’t just close. I am glad to see the square is still active. Iola has a lot to be proud of,” she said.