Kunkel retiring after 30 years

Lake Los Angeles – Transportation Director Mrs. Linda Kunkel will be retiring from Wilsona School District after 30 years of service. Her last day will be Tuesday, May 31.

Linda started in January 1992 as a substitute school bus driver. After two weeks she was hired permanently. “I drove bus #13, the lucky number, which was a 10-wheel Crown bus. Now we have one Crown bus left, #10 in the fleet,” Linda recalled.

Linda worked as a part time bus driver and part time custodian until 2003 when she was hired as the supervisor for WSD Transportation.

“I went to Sacramento to become a certified school bus driver instructor and was approved as Director of WSD Transportation, the position I held for the next 19 years.”

Linda wrote two successful grants to acquire two all-electric buses. Bus #4 came in 2017 followed by bus #13 in 2020. Bus #13 got crushed off the road. Bus #10 is still in the fleet, as allowed by Sacramento, provided it is not driven over 1,000 miles annually. Now Sacramento crushes the older buses that get retired to keep them off the roads.

Linda stated, “I have been blessed. I have really been blessed. It was helpful when you are raising six kids to have worked where I was home with our six children in the evenings, weekends and on holidays. This was huge for us.

“My kids went to school here and received an excellent education. And, their mom worked here which helped keep them out of trouble … well, most of the time.

“I have always thought of Wilsona staff as family. When our granddaughter Jalyn had her 3-organ transplant, the staff donated almost $5,000. That really took a burden off the family. That donation said a lot about the staff and their big hearts.

“Finally, I give kudos to my staff because they made me as successful as I was.”

By Shirley Harriman