NORTON -- When Peter Couming became Chartley postmaster in March 1993, he said he wanted to make the small village in west Norton `` the nicest place in the county to buy a stamp.''

And that is just what he did, postal customers and town officials say.

Couming, 65, officially retires from the postal service on Nov. 1, although he already is using accumulated vacation time in the countdown toward the end of his career.

Couming and his wife, Barbara, plan to move to Delaware, which also will mean the end of community and political involvement in the town he has called home for 17 years.

People who have come to know him over the years say Couming helped foster a friendly, small town feel in Chartley, while putting his retail expertise to work for the town as a whole. Some of his views and actions have occasionally brought mixed reactions, yet he has apparently gained more friends than foes.

Paul Klenk, a North Attleboro teacher, Norton resident and longtime customer of the Chartley Post Office, said it was largely because of Couming that he moved his service from a rural route to a box at the small post office about a decade ago.

`` And I've never been disappointed,'' he said.

Over the years, the two have become friends, despite their political differences.

`` Philosophically and politically, we're diametrically opposed,'' said Klenk, who is also an attorney.

He describes Couming as `` left and liberal as they come. I'm a right-wing conservative.''

Klenk said that has led to a lot of `` verbal conflicts'' over the years, `` yet we always would get along.''

He said Couming has a passion for people as well as for politics.

`` Peter is kind and caring, and tries to take care of the customers and staff,'' Klenk said. `` It's one of the few post offices you can develop that kind of relationship in.''

The Chartley Post Office is like walking into `` a country general store with a potbellied stove,'' he said. Exhibits of local interest have been displayed in the post office's lobby under Couming's stewardship. It is also a place where people can catch up on gossip.

Couming has also been cognizant of the history of the small post office, not long ago recognizing its 120th anniversary with a presentation to Harold Wetherell, 98, whose grandfather was Chartley's first postmaster in 1884, and whose uncle was the second postmaster.

Wetherell, the town's first fire chief, who still picks up his mail at the post office every day, said Couming's departure is a loss for the community.

`` He is a good man,'' Wetherell said. `` I'm sorry to see him go.''

Couming's influence extended beyond the 330-plus post office boxes in his domain.

Over the years, he has had a hand on a number of town boards.

Early on, he served on the middle school council as a representative of business and the community-at-large.

That service earned him a `` Friend of Education Award'' in 1996 for promoting foreign languages and activities clubs with the theme of communication.

He also helped the parent-advisory board raise money through a Norton Middle School cancellation envelope, and donated three silver Peace dollars to essay contest winners.

Couming also served on the Norton Industrial Development Commission for several years, and organized merchants in Chartley into a business association.

Perhaps his most public role has been as one of the founders and long-time organizers of the annual Halloween parade, now in its 12th year.

Couming received an outstanding service award from selectmen in 2001 for his role in organizing the parade, and for leading a successful movement to have street lights installed on Old Colony Road.

He received a community appreciation award from selectmen in 2003.

Couming has had his head shaved for the annual St. Baldrick's celebration to raise money for childhood cancer research the past two years.

`` He's always looked out for the best interests of the town, and has done a lot of charity work people don't know about,'' longtime Selectman Butch Rich said. `` He's been more than a postmaster to the town of Norton; he's been a guardian of the people.''

Rich said Couming has also been a staunch advocate of business in town, saying `` if you come from Norton, you should do business in Norton.''

Couming says he has always believed people should be active within their community.

He had 20 years of retail experience before joining the postal service in the 1980s, first as a clerk-carrier at the North Attleboro Post Office.

Couming said organizing the Halloween parade has been among his greatest joys. He headed the effort for 10 years.

`` The great parades and great community spirit contributed to the social life of the town,'' he said.

But his most personally satisfying endeavors have been helping others in need.

Among them was Ben Joseph, a Solmonese Elementary School student who died of cancer in 1996.

In a letter to the editor after Ben's death, his parents credited Couming with helping organize construction of a wheelchair ramp for the boy, `` which he would happily use for several years.''

Couming also established a fund that helped the family financially while Ben was receiving cancer treatments.

`` Peter Couming is a hero to us,'' Stephen, Nancy and Heather Joseph wrote.

Couming said `` seeing the town rally to help that boy'' was the most memorable and inspiring moment he can recall.

Experiences such as that will make it difficult to pack up and leave, Couming said.

`` I have a lot of friends and family here,'' he said.

There is no mandatory retirement age in the postal service. But Couming said he awakened one day and decided 50 years of work was enough.

He said using up his remaining vacation time now will help him adjust to retirement.

Couming said he is unsure how he will handle retirement, especially since `` I enjoyed my job every day.''

Yet Couming said he thinks he and his co-workers have accomplished what he set out to do at the Chartley Post Office.

`` There's something about going to a place where everyone knows your name,'' he said. `` It's a personal thing. It's like walking into the Chartley Country Store or the Barrowsville store, and people know you.''

`` It's that small town atmosphere where it's still not uncommon for people to come in and ask, `Have you seen Joe or Jane?' '' Couming said. `` And we try to oblige.

`` I think we've made it a comfortable place for people to do their postal business.''

SUSAN LaHOUD can be reached at 508-236-0398 or at slahoud@thesunchronicle.com.