Meet the new 45817 postmaster - Darrell Von Sossan
45817 has a new postmaster. He's Darrell Von Sossan of Ottoville, who started here on June 30. The new postmaster is a career employee with the United States Postal Service, where he first started as a clerk-carrier in Van Wert in 1988.
Von Sossan accepted the Bluffton position after serving as postmaster of Leipsic, 45856, since 2000. He replaces Danielle Laing who served the Bluffton post office as officer in charge since August 2011 when Everett Collier retired as postmaster.
Laing is now the officer in charge at the Leipsic post office.
Von Sossan is a Putnam County native, graduating from Ft. Jennings High School in 1984. He and his wife, Theresa, are parents of three children, Holly, a 2012 Ottoville High School graduate who will attend the University of Dayton this fall, Courtney, 16, who will be a sophomore at Ottoville this fall, and Eric, 14, who will be an Ottoville eighth grader.
With Von Sossan, the Bluffton post office has 13 full- and part-time employees.
Bluffton postmasters?
Originally established as Croghan in Putnam County
Daniel L. Goble, 1837?
Erastus Thompson, 1846?
William McDermot, 1852
?Changed to Allen County by 1854
?Erasmus Thompson, 1854?
Miles W. Vance, 1856?
Erastus Thompson, 1861
?Changed to Bluffton on Aug. 7, 1861
?Erastus Thompson, 1861
?Jacob Moser, 1864?
Robert D. Murray, 1865?
Abram Long, 1866?
Andrew Hauenstein, 1868
?Edwin Edsall, 1871
?John Martin, 1871?
Andrew Hauenstein, 1877
?Milton G. Smith, 1885
?John H. Patterson, 1889
?William P. Bentley, 1890
?Henry L. Romey, 1894
?Russell B. Day, 1898
?George H. Lewis, 1907?
Gibson Locher, 1916?
Maurice M. Murray, 1924
?Edward R. Reichenbach, 1934
?Ralph Stearns, 1956?
Woodrow W. Little, 1965
?Donald I. Gudakunst, officer in charge, 1975?
Albert Callihan, 1976?
Roger E. Neal, officer in charge, 1983?
David L. Boisvert, 1984?
Robert A. Schaefer, officer in charge, 1986
?Cheryl L. Stacy, officer in charge, 1987?
Mark D. Keisay, officer in charge, 1987?
James A. Ribley, officer in charge, 1987
?Jerry L. Burkholder, 1987
?Gary S. Levitt, officer in charge, 1991?
Barbar A. Spearman, postmaster, 1992?
Michael R. Hoehn, 1995
?Margaret Wray, 1998
?Everett G. Collier, 1998
Danielle Laing, officer in charge, 2011
Darrell Von Sossan, 2012
Stories Posted This Week
Thursday, July 2, 2026
- Ada Icon headlines, July 2
- Obituary for Lois C. Fischer
- 4th of July events celebrating American 250 in Bluffton
- Watercolor Workshop scheduled at Bluffton Public Library
- Mobile Health Clinic coming on July 9
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- Surveyor James Riley will time travel on July 4
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Wednesday, July 1, 2026
- Ada Icon headlines, July 1
- June School Board: Bernal resigns as elementary principal, lunch prices increase
- WOAL League Champs in Kenton July 10 and 11
- 2026 Swiss Day celebration focuses on past and future
- Senior Center offers Bus Trips with Debbie
- Senior Center's July Dinner meeting topic: The history of Dixie Highway
Tuesday, June 30, 2026
Monday, June 29, 2026
- Ada Icon headlines, Jun 29
- Lima Meijer closed on June 29 following shots fired
- Ohio EMA tips for extreme heat conditions this week
- Scavenger hunt at Senior Center
- Bluffton University streamlines MBA program for working professionals
- July 2026: What brings you to Bluffton?
- America 250 Quilt Raffle is underway
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- Allen County residents invited to provide feedback on Hazard Mitigation Plan