Dear Editor:
Hi! My name is Sharon. By the ripe old age of 21 years, I had four of my five children. I was pretty much the last generation of young women who were privileged to be able to be a stay at home Mom and enjoy the daily adventures of raising my own children. By the time I turned 26 years, I gave birth to my fifth and last child, my family was complete. Those were the best years of my life!
So, when my kids were grown and our local bus driver in Springside North was wanting a spare bus driver, they approached me. I had never been inside a school bus until I drove one. What job could be better suited for me than driving and kids, lots of kids! All I knew was kids, and it would only be once in awhile. I never intended to do more than be a spare driver.
So I got my bus license class 2 with Melvin’s help and driving the big high school bus for my test in 19080 and hired on with Yorkdale School Unit. In January of 1984 our local bus driver and my best friend, George Shumay, suffered a brain aneurism and never recovered. He asked for me to come to the hospital and told me where the keys for the bus were and also all of the paperwork. He said, “You go get it and start on the fourth and don’t let them take it away from you!” So on January 4, 1984, I became our full time bus driver.
The best years in my life up till then, had been growing up with my own children, and now just as they were all leaving, I was given a whole bunch of kids! Kids to laugh with, kids to care for, kids to help grow, kids to love, kids to tell outrageous stories to, kids to sing with and cry with- twice a day, five days a week. Back then they didn’t have all these computer games and cell phones so we entertained each other. These were once again the best years of my life.
What a privilege and blessing, and not only that, I was paid every month for doing it! My biggest problem back then was if we had v=bus trouble, no one would be concerned, the parents would say, “We weren’t worried, we knew they were with you.”
At the age of 71 years due to medical problems and surgery on my leg, my bus driving days were over.
I miss my kids, just as I missed my own as they left. Those kids were all my kids, my bus family, and I miss the daily contact with them “so much”.
I am so thankful I was given a second and much larger family for 32 year!
Sharon Ward
Yorkton, SK
