Philo post office may be renamed in honor of the late Sam Mitchell Jr.

PHILO − U.S. Rep. Troy Balderson recently introduced a bill to rename the Philo post office for the late Samuel J. Mitchell Jr. He was the postmaster for 52 years, starting in 1967 after being appointed by President Lyndon Johnson.

The bill has been referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability for consideration. If approved by the committee, the bill will go to the House floor for approval.

Mitchell was born on Aug. 10, 1936, in Duncan Falls and graduated from Philo High School. He served three years of active duty in the U.S. Air Force as a mechanic working on B-36 and B-52 heavy bombers. Following his service, he owned the Duncan Falls Gulf Station for several years before working for the Ohio Power Plant and then Universal CITI Credit Corporation in Columbus.

In his spare time, Mitchell was active within the community. He was a member of several organizations, such as the Duncan Falls-Philo Lions Club and the Muskingum County Dive Team. He also served for the Harrison Township Fire Department where he was chief for more 25 years. Mitchell died on Oct. 18, 2023.

“To the Philo community, Sam meant the world,” Balderson said in a press release. “He dedicated his life to service as a postmaster, veteran and a neighborhood volunteer, touching countless lives along the way. Honoring Sam’s life and legacy by naming the Philo post office after him is a small token of our appreciation and a symbol of our deep admiration for a life well lived.”

Philo Mayor Troy Coen called Mitchell a pillar of the community who gave everyone a hometown feeling at the post office.

“He helped and communicated so well to everyone who walked through the door. He made any and all tasks seem so simple," Coen said.

Steve Tyo, first vice president of the Duncan Falls-Philo Lions Club, said Mitchell was an active club member for years, helpful on the scholarships committee and highway cleanup.

"He always had a smile on his face and made the new members feel welcome. The club honored him by naming him Veteran of the Month and by awarding him as the Melvin Jones Fellow, the highest award given to a Lion,” Tyo said.

This article originally appeared on Coshocton Tribune: Philo post office may be renamed for the late Sam Mitchell Jr.