Remembering Louise Leavell, 90, Coweta County’s first black female school bus driver

Longtime DeKalb County resident and businessman Bill Leavell announces the death of his mother, Mrs. Louise Leavell, who passed away at the age of 90.

For 25 years, Mrs. Leavell made her career driving Coweta County school buses. She was heralded as the first female school bus driver for Coweta and consequently, its first black female driver.

A member of the South Fulton Retired Educators Association and an emeritus member in its state affiliate Georgia Retired Educator Association( GREA), Mrs. Leavell was honored with a commemorative brick in the Georgia Teaching Museum located in Flowey Branch, GA.

In addition to her career driving Coweta County school buses, she also served as a home-visit agent for Pilgrim Health and Life Insurance Co. in Newnan and Palmetto, GA.  She was heralded as the first female school bus driver for Coweta and consequently, its first Black female driver.

Mrs. Leavell frequently attended many of the programs held at Dekalb County’s Porter Sandford Theater of Performing Arts with her son, Bill, who now serves as part of Stone Mountain’s Art Station Gallery.  Bill Leavell is also the founder and CEO of Aunt Duck’s Cheese Straws, after years of perfecting the craft passed down to him by his mother, Louise, and Aunt Duck.

Mrs. Leavell is survived by five of her six children (Cannesta L. Rollins, Jacquelyn L. Johnson, Bill Leavell, Sheveronne L. Robinson, and Wanda L. Williams) to share in her memory.  Her husband, Tommie H. Leavell, Jr., and son, Anthony Leavell preceded her in death.

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