Hawick's postmistress of 43 years died recent

This article submitted by Linda Stelling on 5/26/98.

Kathryn “Katie” Paulson, 81, Hawick, served the community for 43 years as postmistress from the family business “Gil’s Store.”

She died Monday, May 18, at the St. Cloud Hospital. Funeral services were Friday at St. Louis Catholic Church, Paynesville.

Paulson moved to Hawick in 1940 where she ran Gil’s Store with her sister, Betty Quarfot. On Feb. 7, 1956, she married Harold Paulson. They took over the store from the Quarfots in 1967. The family lived above the store, spending most of their time working downstairs waiting on customers. The Paulsons remodeled the store, moving the Hawick Post Office out of the main store into its own area adjacent to the store.

The Hawick Post Office became part of the store in 1949. Katie became its postmistress in April of 1966.

“It’s fun watching the children come into the store to pick out penny candy,” Katie said in a Paynesville Press article in 1991. “We get to meet the public and make a lot of friends through the store and post office,” Katie added.

She was instrumental in organizing Santa Claus Day in Hawick for more than 50 years and was a member of the National League of Postmasters.

Memorials are directed to the Gary Paulson Memorial Scholarship Fund.

Marie Bakke, New London Post- mistress and supervisor of the Hawick Post Office, said the operation of the Hawick Post Office will remain the same, no changes are being planned at this time.

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