Did you read your own link?
It’s about writing letters!
Did you read it?
How to Address a Former Governor in Conversation?
I read a story recently which said that the organizers of former Alaska governor Sarah Palin’s book tour have asked the public to address her as Governor Palin at her book signings. Is that proper?
— William Perry
Dear Mr. Perry:
It’s not correct. Officially she is addresses as Ms./Mrs. Palin.
She is not correctly addressed as Mayor Palin either, because Wasilla has a new mayor, and she is not addressed as Governor Palin because Alaska has a new governor.
Here is the tradition behind this: Jobs of which there is only one officer holder at a time ... Governor of a state Mayor of city, President Vice President of the US, Speaker of the House of Representatives .... do not continue to be directly addressed in writing or conversation by their former “office” because it is not respectful to the current office holder and confusing to those in the (organization/state/whatever) as to who is currently in charge.
Jobs of which many hold the same office/rank at the same time DO continue to be addressed by their former honorific ... Senator, Judge, Captain, Admiral, General, Professor .... after leaving their position.
Having worked with many ‘formers’ I find that they know their correct honorific. But the handlers may not know what’s correct -or- encourage the reference to their boss’s former position to curry favors — which I suspect is the case here.