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Retiring bus driver leaves a legacy

To the Editor:

I am writing this letter to the Memo because this wonderful TriMet bus driver (37 years) recently retired from routes that served the paper’s readers, and he did admirable work. I did not want to embarrass him, so I left his name out, but his riders will know who he is.

We expect role models to be family, school teachers or clergy, and we assume that role models are for young people evolving into independent adults. I respect my family and admire many local neighbors, but in my 64 years I learned about the depth of life from weekday TriMet bus rides with a slim, white-haired (he said it was ash blond), soft-spoken bus driver.

If you rode bus #22 Argay Park, bus #23 Parkrose Heights/Summer Place or bus #25 Glisan/Glendoveer/Rockwood, you encountered his bus, which was so on time you could set your clock to it, and his friendly “Welcome aboard” smile.

He drove his bus with a listening ear to all who told him their problems and their joys. He never gave personal advice. He only repeated the golden rule: “Treat others as you want to be treated yourself.” He often said that everything that happens is “water under the bridge,” because each day is a new day to live simply so we can all simply live together.

Happy retirement to the gentleman bus driver who made TriMet proud by earning over 30 years of National Safe Driving Awards and who gave his riders consistent good service.

Paulette Rossi 
Argay Terrace resident