how to address an envelope to a retired colonel and his wife

Address the envelope as: Colonel and Mrs. John Smith
Street Address
City, State ZIP For a retired colonel, the retired status is usually not included on a social envelope, and the military rank is kept in the address. If you know her first name and prefer a more formal style, that can also be formatted as Colonel John Smith and Mrs. Jane Smith , but Colonel and Mrs. John Smith is the standard, respectful choice.

If you want the letter salutation too, use Dear Colonel Smith: or Dear Colonel and Mrs. Smith: depending on who you’re writing to.