Mary King, a bus driver for Independent Coach and lifelong resident of the Hewlett community, died Jan. 21. She was 92.
King, described by many as a kind and fun-loving woman, drove many Hewlett-Woodmere students to and from school from 1987 to 2016. She enjoyed being together with her family during holidays and special events, and especially loved sharing meals with those closest to her.
“Though her absence leaves an irreplaceable void, her spirit will remain present in all our cherished memories we were so lucky to have throughout the years,” the family wrote in her obituary. “Mary will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered.”
Her calming presence at Independent’s Hewlett Yard attracted many drivers, including Valerie Frias, a fellow employee with more than three decades of experience. Frias, now a dispatch supervisor, said she’d always see King smiling.
“She was always friendly and happy,” she said. “Mary would joke around with the other drivers, and was always down to earth.” Frias noted that King’s love for her grandchildren and staying busy motivated her to become a bus driver. “She enjoyed the kids, and having something to do every day,” she said.
Michele Beauchamp, a driver at Independent since 1998, also experienced King’s kindness firsthand. She helped Beauchamp get rid of those first-day jitters, and would often communicate with the new driver, telling her “you got this.” The two would often sit in the driver’s room and talk about whatever was going on in the moment.
“Not knowing anybody was really intimidating,” Beauchamp said. “It made me feel welcome. It was very helpful to a new driver.”
One of Beauchamp’s fondest memories of King was the yearly holiday parties, where she’d get up on the table and start dancing and laughing.
“It was always a good party when Mary got up on the table,” Beauchamp said. “That’s one of the things I’ll remember most.”
King also had a profound impact on her students. Hewlett alum Brian Ruvolo, who King drove from the middle school to the high school for his accelerated math class, said he always felt out of place and would talk to the driver frequently. He said that King was always kind, thoughtful, and knew how to calm nerves.
“She really gave off a motherly energy,” Ruvolo said. “The bus ride always felt like a place I could just prepare myself and not feel stressed because of Mary and the environment and safety of it.”
Independent’s Hewlett office announced King’s passing on Wednesday in a written statement. “Mary was a soft-spoken lifelong resident,” it read. “Our condolences are extended to the entire King family.”
