By Allen Brewer

As summer vacation winds down and families began to prepare for the return of children to school, three of South Panola School District’s “guardian angels” who drive students to and from their buildings are gearing up for yet another year of bus driving duties.

The school district has a staff of dedicated and caring drivers, and each one is special to the children on their individual routes. It’s the drivers, after all, who greet the children first each morning, and then are the last to see them at the end of a school day.

Three of the drivers have a family connection – they are sisters – and have served more than a generation of Panola County students.

Twin sisters Mary Joiner and Martha Bledsoe and their younger sister Linda Bledsoe have each been driving buses for the South Panola School District for more than 20 years. Though responsible for different bus routes, each sister is equally matched by the love she provides for her students and families.

“Most of the children that I have had I have also had their parents,” Martha said. “I do love my children, that’s why I call them mine.”

Linda first begins driving a South Paola Bus in 199m but stopped to pursue other career paths. In 1997, Martha began driving a bus route, and Mary started a year later. Linda later started driving the special needs bus while working inside the school district.   

“I love that more than driving a regular bus,” Linda said. “I have some of the sweetest kids.”

This year will mark Martha’s 22nd consecutive years driving the same bus route.  Mary has driven a bus for 20 years, and Linda has driven the special needs bus for 15.

After driving a route for so many years, the sisters know the children and their families personally. Some even drive the children of past students.

“The ones that I had, I have seen them grow up and have kids,”  Mary said. “Now I have their kids. They are my babies, and I do not let anyone mess with them.”

All three of the sisters attended school at South Panola. The sisters come from the  Anderson family, which recently celebrated a large family reunion in June at the Chickasaw Lounge near Sardis Lake.

Fraternal twins are also common on their mother’s side of the family.  Linda also has a twin sister, Dorthy McKinney, who works in Batesville.

“Twins run in our family,” Marry said. “Father was an only child, so he made up for it.”

As the new school year approaches, The sisters will soon begin making their rounds. Each is hoping for a fun and safe school year full of smiling familiar faces.

Busses roll out on August 7.

Cutline:  SPSD transportation director Scootie Murphree depends on his crew of drivers to run busses across the district picking up students for school and returning them home in the afternoons. Twin sisters Mary Joiner and Martha Bledson, with their sister Linda Bledsoe, have almost 60 years combined bus driving experience for the district. PIctured with Murphree are (from left) Linda, Mary, and Martha. (Jeremy Weldon)