Not long after her husband purchased a couple of school buses in the early 1950s, Lorraine Pahlke joined him in the couple’s transportation business and began driving students to and from their schools in Barrington.
More Top Picks Best Outdoor Refrigerators
“She realized Dad needed help behind the wheel, so she stepped right up,” said her son, Bob. “She began driving a bus, while handling all the bookkeeping.”
As the area grew, so did the family’s business, which provides bus service to more than 5,000 elementary and high school students in Barrington Unit District 220.
Mrs. Pahlke, 92, of Barrington — who along with her late husband, Alfred, founded Barrington Transportation Co. and served as president of the Illinois School Transportation Association, before retiring three years ago — died in her home Monday, May 11 of natural causes.
“Lorraine had a heart of gold and cared deeply about people, especially children,” said Gerald Schalk, the former pastor at St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Barrington, where Mrs. Pahlke was a member and served on various boards. “She ran a very family-oriented business that is an integral part of our community.”
After her husband had a heart attack in 1982, the mother of three stepped up again, taking over the company that now operates a fleet of more than 150 full-size and mini buses, and provides transportation around the village, as well as charter service for civic and private groups throughout the Chicago area.
“It was a lot of responsibility, but she handled it just fine,” said her son, who now runs the business with the help of family members. “She kept growing the business, while at the same time raising a family.”
Born Lorraine Pohlman, Mrs. Pahlke was one of 10 children and grew up on a dairy farm in Schaumburg. During the Great Depression, she had to drop out of school to keep the farm running and help support her family.
“Growing up on a farm, she developed a strong work ethic,” her son said. “She’d tell us, ‘You didn’t punch a clock at the end of a day. You just kept working until the work got done.’ “
During World War II, Mrs. Pahlke worked for a company that made typewriters and another that manufactured electronic aircraft equipment.
In 1946, she married Alfred, who died in 2008, after 61 years of marriage. The couple settled in Barrington, where they founded their company in 1947 and initially ran it from out of their former home on South Grove Avenue.
Before long, they added a commuter service to their daily bus routes, transporting local residents to and from the Barrington train station. In the early 1970s, they moved their operations to a larger location at 315 S. Hager Ave. near Barrington High School.
Over the years, Mrs. Pahlke and her team, which includes more than 100 bus drivers and numerous mechanics, kept busy mapping routes for the area’s ever-changing road system and making sure the buses were always tuned up and tested to meet safety standards.
“She was a wonderful boss who knew the business inside and out,” said Anne Becker, who’s been driving a bus for the company since 1992. “Safety was always her top priority.”
In 1992, at age 70, Mrs. Pahlke realized her long-held dream of returning to school and receiving a GED certificate.
“It took her a while, but she finally got it,” her son said. “That small piece of paper meant a lot to her.”
Other survivors include two daughters, Nancy Rohlwing and Sarah Sander; a sister, Trudy Glaser; eight grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
Services were held.
Kates is a freelance reporter for the Tribune.