Bonny Eagle High School in Standish held a ceremony on Saturday to rededicate its transportation building to Debra Silver, a longtime bus driver and pillar of the community who died in early 2023.

According to SAD 6 Superintendent Clay Gleason, Silver, who not only served the district for nearly 25 years, but also held a wide variety of careers such as deputy sheriff and trolley driver, was far more than just a bus driver. She deeply cared about the children she drove, starting a backpack program for kids vulnerable to food insecurity, as well as making sure every child had winter clothing. He also praised Silver, a Maine native who spent her whole life in the Bonny Eagle School District, for staying to contribute to the community and taking pride in being from Standish.

Nearly two years after her passing, dozens of members of the Bonny Eagle community, including, according to Gleason, Silver’s “family, extended family, bus driver family,” and many more friends, gathered to rededicate the building. The short ceremony consisted of opening remarks by Gleason, followed by speeches from SAD 6 Transportation Director Sarah Marean and School Board Chair Nathan Carlow about Silver’s legacy.

The ceremony ended with Carlow, alongside Silver’s stepson, removing a flag of the school’s mascot to unveil a plaque in Silver’s memory. Although the resolution to rename the building occurred at the end of the previous school year, Gleason said that Oct. 26 was the first official day of the Debra Silver Transportation Building.

Toward the end of the ceremony, Gleason shared a quote from poet Maya Angelou summing up Silver’s legacy: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

After the ceremony, the community gathered inside the building for light refreshments. Carlow told the Lakes Region Weekly that Silver has built a legacy that will continue to live on, and said that the number of miles she drove during her time at Bonny Eagle was the equivalent of flying to the moon and back three times. Marean, when asked about the impact Silver had on the community, simply said to look around, pointing out that the number of people in attendance showed how beloved she was.

Carlow said of Silver, “You always knew where you stood with her. She was a direct person, but always came from a place of love and care.”

Other coworkers and family members also shared their fond memories of Silver. Tina Dippolito, a current bus driver, described Silver as an amazing coworker, while Silver’s cousin, Barbara Labbe, noted that much of her kindness came from her grandparents, who were similarly dedicated to the Standish community.

Outside the building, there was a trolley on display, honoring Silver’s summertime career as a trolley driver in Old Orchard Beach. Inside, several of her friends gathered and shared stories about her, noting the presence of a bench in Old Orchard Beach dedicated to Silver. One such friend, Terri Babbidge, fondly remembered an occasion where Silver, so excited to talk to passersby, accidentally hit five cars, a story that she joked about and took in stride for the rest of her life.