Family and friends gathered Monday for the funeral for an Avon Public Schools bus driver who was killed in a tragic accident last week.
Steve Roussel, 52, of Unionville, died Wednesday when a tree fell on the school bus he was driving and he then hit a utility pole on Country Club Road around.
Roussel was on his way back to the bus station, about a mile and a half away, and was the only person on the bus when the accident happened.
Roussel was born in Bristol, according to the obituary. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1983 to 1993, He graduated from Lincoln Technical Culinary Institute and spent several years cooking at J Timothy's, 99, and ESPN before beginning to drive for Specialty Transportation, of Avon.
Many recalled fond memories of Roussel.
"He made our mornings every morning, he always had something funny to say, from the night before or that day and he's just going to be greatly missed," Yvonne Bourgoin, of Granby, said.
Flowers and ribbons decorated the grills of Avon Public Schools buses today in memory of Roussel.
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He is survived by his wife and two children.
Coworkers said students in Avon will be wearing Roussel's favorite color, red, Friday in his honor.
According to the obituary, contributions can be made to the Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758517, Topeka, KS, 66675-8517 or the ALS Association, Ct Chapter, 4 Oxford Rd., Unit D 4, Milford, CT 06460.
