No slowing down for 'Lucie the mail lady'
When 80-year-old Lucie Johnson isn't throwing wood in for the winter, or playing her guitar, or dancing, you'll find her delivering mail and parcels for Canada Post to 960 households in southeastern New Brunswick.
She started her rural route 32 years ago and describes her days as "mostly good."
"I always like to do this," she laughed. "That's why I'm still doing it."
She said people along Route 134 are usually happy to see her coming in her blue van.
"Some of them are just waiting for me, they want their mail, I guess," she said.
"When the cheque comes in, they want the cheque," she added with a laugh.
Johnson said she has no plans to slow down. She knows many people her age are in retirement homes.
"I don't want to be there," she said. "If you're sitting at home doing nothing — it's not very good. So might as well keep on going."
She plans to deliver the mail for another year or two at least.
When she's not dropping off letters and parcels, she can be found enjoying her passion for country music. She plays and sings and said her weekends are usually filled with music.
Johnson has five children, six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
She also has a big group of friends, including Lea Robichaud. They have known each other for 25 years.
"We always have fun," Robichaud said. "We don't know many people that has that health … she's really something else."
She said everyone knows Johnson in her corner of the province.
"When Lucie goes by, 'There's Lucie the mail lady,' they call her.
"She plays guitar, she sings and they go dancing and all kinds of things … I couldn't keep up with her. She's really a nice little lady."
A bout with colon cancer 10 years ago kept Johnson home for six months. But as soon as she recovered from surgery she was back at work.
Her secret is simple — just keep going.
"I still do my work and put the wood down the basement and all that stuff," Johnson said. "Just get moving, don't stay sitting and doing nothing. The more you move the better you feel."
