Goodrich-Bus driver Loretta Hovis has put the bus in the parking lot for good.
Hovis, 62, has retired after 33 years driving buses for students in grades K-12 in Goodrich. A reception for Hovis and four other outgoing school employees was held June 13 at Atlas Valley Country Club in Atlas Township.
She has seen upgrades in the quality of buses used through the years. ‘The buses now are like Cadillacs,? Hovis said. ‘When I first started out, it was a stick shift, so there’s been a big improvement.?
Hovis also said she has gotten to know the students well, and will miss them being a familiar part of the daily routine.
‘I kept the same run for 12 years, so I had the same kids,? she said. ‘Some of the kids I’ve driven, I’ve had their parents as well.?
Hovis is grateful for the support she has received from the Goodrich staff and her boss, Transportation Supervisor Dr. Jerry Lawreson. ‘They were very friendly,? she said.
Hovis and husband Kenneth have sent six children through Goodrich schools, and of their 12 grandchildren, five of them have graduated from Goodrich High School and three are still in school.
Now that she is retired, Hovis and her family plan on spending time together at their 28-acre home in Goodrich. She said Kenneth, who is retired from General Motors and has been working as a mechanic for the Goodrich district for 10 years, will likely retire from the district in about a year.