My Former Bus Driver

When we moved back into the Tippecanoe School Corporation in 1970, I began riding the bus to and from school. I had two bus drivers during junior high and high school, Wade (whose last name I can't remember but who was a good man) and Mrs. Coddington.

EVERYONE wanted to ride Mrs. Coddington's bus and she often drove the fan buses to basketball games or to speech meets and other outings. She was friendly and kind, and enjoyed being with the kids. When Wade left to take another job, I remember shrieks of excitement when we learned who our new driver was to be.

Martha Coddington

Part of our daily route home was through Soldiers Home and down the twisty, winding road that intersects North River Road by the Wabash River and Jackson Island. There used to be a trolley line from the top of the hill straight down the side to the bottom back in the late 1800s/early 1900s (Mascoutan Park is at the intersection and across North River Road. The trolley took people up and down the hill to the park.) Back then, you could still see its old rail bed, and the groundskeeping crew at Soldier's Home kept it mowed and tidy. (If you know where it was and look hard, you can still see its outlines today.)

In the "heck if I know why I did this" department, one day I told Mrs. Coddington that I thought I could beat the bus down to the bottom of the hill if she would let me out at the top by the trolley lane and challenged her to a race. I would run down the lane and she would drive the bus, and we would see who was faster - me or the bus. (See what I mean? Where did THAT idea come from??)

Mrs. Coddington was game, and so the next day, she stopped the bus at the top of the hill and opened the door so I could hop out.

I remember FLYING down that trolley lane, pausing to look for cars as it crossed the road she was driving the bus down, and then running as fast as I could go to the bottom of the hill, all the while keeping an eye on Mrs. Coddington's bus and its progress down the hill.

Who won? I don't remember. I think it may have been a draw. But I do remember her opening the bus doors for me when we met up, and both of us laughing about our little race while I caught my breath.

Nowadays, society is too worried about personal safety and liability to even consider doing such a thing. And truth be told, it probably wasn't the best thing for her to have allowed it. In her defense, I was a pretty responsible kid who knew to look for cars at that one spot where the two roads overlapped, and she knew I would be careful. (I believe I was in high school when our little race happened.)

Today Mrs. Coddington's obituary appeared in the Journal and Courier along with the photo above. I smiled as I looked at her - she had not changed much over the past forty years! 

Good-bye to a lady who loved children and knew how to connect with them. She made our school days that much brighter, just by being our bus driver and loving each and every one of us.

Rest in peace, Mrs. Coddington. Godspeed.

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Martha Coddington Patterson, 94

Martha Coddington Patterson, 94, passed away on Friday, February 13, 2015 in Mulberry.

Martha was born December 20, 1920 in Frankfort, Indiana to the late Fred and Goldie Downing Bell. Martha and Bill started the Coddington Mobile Home Park on Klondike Rd in 1954. During her career, she worked for the Tippecanoe County School Corporation as a school bus driver where she retired after 25 years of service. Martha loved to be outside, and enjoyed mushroom hunting and gardening.

Martha is survived by her dtr-in-law; Joan Coddington, sons; Jim (Jan) Coddington of Lafayette and Bob Coddington of Brazil, six grandchildren; Richard Coddington, Jeff Coddington, Debbie (Joe) Honn, Sally (Tim) Hedden, Brad Coddington, Randy (Heather) Coddington and eight great grandchildren.

She is preceded in death by her parents; first husband, William "Bill" Coddington; second husband, Thomas Patterson; son, Dick Coddington; sisters, Lu Gephart and Florence Ramsey; brothers, Frank Bell and J.R. Hanson.

Visitation will take place from 5-8 PM Tuesday, February 17, 2015 at Hippensteel Funeral Home. A Celebration of Martha's life will follow on Wednesday, 10 am . Interment will take place at Tippecanoe Memory Gardens. Hippensteel Funeral Home is entrusted with care. Please share remembrances and condolences at www.hippensteelfuneralservice.com. - See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/jconline/obituary.aspx?n=martha-coddington-patterson&pid=174154727&fhid=3966#sthash.QktHOhv6.dpuf