Friday, November 6, 2026
The East Rockaway School District honored the late Jimmy Lores, a longtime school bus driver, volunteer coach and beloved member of the community, during a special halftime ceremony at the East Rockaway High School football game against Lynbrook on Oct. 16.
The district dedicated the oval driveway in front of the high school in his memory, naming it Jimmy Lores Way in recognition of his decades of service to East Rockaway students and families.
Lores, who died July 30 at age 70, was affectionately known throughout the community as "Jimmy the bus driver." He spent 30 years driving school buses, including 19 years with the East Rockaway School District, and volunteered as a junior varsity softball coach for three decades.
Beyond his work with students, Lores was known for his countless acts of kindness, from creating signs celebrating student-athletes to funding an annual scholarship for graduating softball players with money he earned collecting scrap metal.
His brother, Joe Lores, a longtime East Rockaway coach, shared news of the dedication in a Facebook post ahead of the game, inviting former classmates and friends to attend the ceremony.
Joe noted that Jimmy attended Marion Street School in Lynbrook and graduated from Lynbrook High School in 1974, making the rivalry game between the two neighboring communities a fitting occasion for the tribute.
In an earlier interview with the Herald following his brother's death, Joe reflected on Jimmy's lasting impact.
"He's proof that a lifetime of seemingly small acts of kindness can have a really big impact," Joe said.
Longtime East Rockaway High School football coach Russ Pajer also reflected on Lores' dedication to the school community following his death.
"Everything he did was for the kids and for the East Rockaway community," Pajer told the Herald at the time. "He never wanted to be thanked or recognized for it. That's just who he was."
The ceremony recognized a man whose generosity and dedication touched generations of East Rockaway students, athletes and families, ensuring his name will remain part of the school community he spent much of his life serving.
