Bert Jeans used to be embarrassed to say she was a bus driver because of some negative stereotypes people have.
‘As I’ve gotten older and as the years have gone on I’ve thought this is exactly what God wanted me to do,? she said.
One might say last week marked the end of Jeans? mission from God when she retired after driving 29 years for the Oxford School District.
Jeans said she decided to retire after suffering from some health problems, like asthma, but is feeling a lot better as of late.
‘I sort of wish I (had) waited another year to get my 30 years in,? she joked. ‘I really have a heart for those kids.?
Jeans spent her first 27 years in the district driving her bus and training other drivers.
For the past two years, she wanted a change and decided to drive special education students.
‘I didn’t know if I would be a good driver (for special ed), but I just found out that I think that would’ve been my niche from day one,? she said.
Jeans always made it a point to say ‘hello? and ‘good morning? to all of her students as they entered her bus, making sure they started their day off right.
‘You just want to make their day a little more special,? she said. ‘I love them.?
She said she’s going to miss the students that she drove because they were ‘an extension of my family.?
Jeans has fond memories of her many years in Oxford, whether it was practical jokes she and her previous supervisor used to play on each other (think whipped cream pies and dead frogs), or the many lives she’s touched.
She remembers one high school student who told her every day that she wanted to quit school, but Jeans kept telling her to ‘hang in there.?
‘She invited me to her open house party and her mother said ‘this is the lady that got my daughter to stay in school,?? Jean said as she got choked up.
She never realized all of those conversations with the student would be so encouraging.
Even though she doesn’t like to stay idle, Jeans hasn’t decided how she will spend her retirement, but she said she may plan on doing some volunteer work.
Jeans wanted to thank Oxford schools for ‘being so good to me.?
For all the times Jeans had her bus in for service, there was always Bill Broecker there to fix it.
Broecker has been a mechanic for the school district for 25 years and decided to retire October of this year.
Besides ‘getting dirty,? Broecker spends his days preparing the fleet, making sure each one of the buses are in tip-top shape, ordering parts for recalls and doing paperwork.
Broecker decided to retire because he’s 65 and ‘it’s just time.?
‘I’ll spend most of (my retirement) hunting, fishing, mowing the grass and doing honey-dos,? he joked. ‘I’d like to be bored one day.?