Laurens 55 mourns sudden passing of longtime bus driver

LAURENS, S.C. (WSPA) – Laurens School District 55 is mourning the sudden passing of a longtime member of its support staff Tuesday.

The district said Charles Graves worked for the LCSD 55 Transportation for 35 years, starting on March 23, 1989, and was recently named the Transportation Department 2024-25 Support Staff of the Year.

The district described Graves as someone who made the most of everyday. A release sent out Tuesday said, “He gave his best and went above and beyond expectations. Charles was upbeat and always came to work with a positive attitude. His positivity was contagious, and he made it a point to make his colleagues smile and laugh.”

Transportation Director Reco Wright said Graves “did anything to keep the buses going and ensure kids were safely transported. He is there to help when a bus breaks down. He has always been supportive of me as his direct supervisor.”

Russell Thompson, a colleague and friend of Graves for more than 35 years, said the two began working for the district as an inside joke, “to challenge each other on who can drive the Big Yellow Bus better.” He described Graves as a friendly character and someone “really special.”

Friends and colleagues were notified of Graves’ passing when he didn’t make it to work Tuesday morning. The cause and time of death are unknown by the district at this time.

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