NEWINGTON - The first week of July is normally a very happy time for Newington school bus drivers. School has been out for a couple of weeks, they are settled back into vacation mode and are enjoying summer with their loved ones. This year that all changed with the untimely death of one of our bus drivers, Laurie Soucy. Laurie passed away suddenly while on vacation in Georgia with her husband, Pete.

       As her supervisor for the last ten and a half years, I would like to share with you who this special woman was and why she is such a loss to the Newington Board of Education Transportation Department.

       For the last several years, Laurie drove bus run â€�"B” to Newington High School, Martin Kellogg Middle School and Anna Reynolds Elementary School. During her 19.5-year career, Laurie drove approximately 200,000 accident-free miles as she transported thousands of Newington students to and from school, on field trips and our sports teams to athletic events. I could list all of her professional qualities, but I will just say that Laurie was a consummate professional and took great pride in how she performed her job. Every day Laurie was aware that the parents of the children she transported were entrusting her with the safety of their children and every day she performed her job to earn that trust. If Laurie ever had to stop her bus because of behavior issues, she made sure to tell her students that their good behavior was an important part of her safe driving. Laurie always looked after the students on her bus as if they were her own children.

       Laurie had all of the qualities that we could want for a Newington bus driver, she lived in Newington most of her life, was a Newington High School graduate and her sons went through the Newington school system. Also, Laurie was seldom seen without a smile on her face and her cheerful attitude.

       Laurie was a dedicated wife and mother who always kept her co-workers aware of what was going on in her family, be it up-coming birthdays, an engagement or a wedding. If Laurie baked a special cake or cookies for her family, we could always depend on her to bring in some for her co-workers. Word quickly spread throughout the bus garage that â€�"Laurie has baked something and she’s putting it out right now,” It was then, get some for yourself and get out of the way. Her special treat was soon reduced to a pile of crumbs.

       As I think back on my last conversations with Laurie, they were happy ones about where she took her husband to dinner on his birthday, her son’s upcoming wedding and the vacation that she and her husband Pete were about to leave for. As we spoke she was smiling and happy and full of life--the Laurie we all knew so well.

       We all miss you, Laurie.