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Michael A. Vincent, 74, also known as "Mike, the Bus Driver," passed peacefully at home on March 26, 2018, following a courageous battle against pancreatic cancer and with his wife by his side. Born in Sanford, FL, he attended schools in Kodiak, AK, and San Diego, CA, and was graduated from B-CC. Mike enlisted in the US Army in 1962. After an honorable discharge in 1965, he became a commissioned clothing salesman for the Hecht Company. He worked for the USPS in Silver Spring until 1977, then relocating briefly to Anchorage, AK. In 1978 he returned to Springvale, ME, where his parents resided and where he was introduced to Sue, the love of his life. At the urging of friends they moved to Belmont in 1984, with a plan to live in NH for 2 years. Serendipitously, a rainbow touched down in their backyard, which they took as a sign to stay in Belmont. He found his true calling as a school bus driver for the Shaker Regional School District. He was actively involved in the unionization of the First Student district in the early 2000s. For 28 years he drove Bus 2 transporting up to two generations of students from K-12. He made it a point to learn each student’s name so he could personally wish them good morning and goodnight. He truly enjoyed field trips and enthusiastically supported the Belmont High School girls’ volleyball and basketball teams. Mike enjoyed cross-country skiing, canoeing and hiking in the mountains of New England, especially Acadia National Park. He was an avid gardener starting most plants from seed. When he wasn’t busy gardening, he was on his motorcycle with Sue. He loved the ocean and most particularly enjoyed camping along the coast of Maine. Although he spelled phonetically, he became a formidable Scrabble player using the honor system to look up the correct spelling in the dictionary. He became interested in paleontology in the '70’s, fossil hunting whenever he could at the Calvert Cliffs in MD, Joggins Fossil Cliffs and Prince Mine in NH and Warfield Fossils in MT. Nothing could surpass his love of a good campfire in the backyard with good friends, except for adding fireworks to the mix! In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his son, Michael Vincent Jr. in 1995. He is survived by his best friend and wife for 40 years, Susan, a daughter, Deborah Krick and her husband, Robert, of Pasadena, MD and two grandchildren, Jack and Maggi. He leaves two sisters, Dr. Miriam Vincent of Boston, MA, and Margaret McLaughlin and her husband, Patrick, of North Berwick, ME and one brother, Robert Vincent and his wife, Elaine, of Ocala, FL. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews. |
