The first of five daughters, Ann Marie Deneen grew up in St. Paul near the old Snelling Garage. Her father rode Twin City Lines and, living in a one-car household, she too would come to rely on the bus (Route 21) to get from her home in Desnoyer Park to school, downtown and the Midway. Often, she sat up front with her older neighbor and joined in on conversations with the driver. Those experiences would prove formative.

At 23, Ann Marie was working as a hairdresser but was frustrated and wondering, “Is this really happiness in life?” The question led her to pray for change (her father’s influence) and she was soon asked to join the Sherwin Williams Paint Co. as a pick-up and delivery driver, visiting auto body shops across the Twin Cities. After having some fun with that job, a friend suggested applying to become a bus driver.

If hairdressing wasn’t her calling, being an operator, she quickly learned, was. “I just knew right away this was it,” said Ann Marie, whose mother encouraged her. “I liked the driving, helping people and was pretty safe. It was a real match for me.” Ann Marie’s love for her work, customers and co-workers led to a 40-year career in transit and a nickname, Diva. The nickname, she said, was given for her command of the bus and the careful eye she kept on her customers.

At first, Ann Marie was tentative behind the wheel. The first time she drove a 60-foot articulated bus, she panicked and cried. But as she did throughout her career, Ann Marie faced her fears and persevered. She credits three amazing people at Snelling, where she started, for taking her under their wings and helping her through the job’s initial challenges. She was also motivated by brief interactions with Ruby Peterson, one of the longest-serving female operators, who broke into the male-dominated field when men were sent to serve in World War II. “Ruby had me in awe,” Ann Marie said. “We never said a lot to each other, but her presence was huge back then.”

Over time, Ann Marie became more and more confident behind the wheel and took on several busy routes where customers had to stand in the aisles, including routes 4, 16 and 21. (At this point, Ann Marie was happy more articulated buses were being added to the fleet.) Ann Marie was among the first operators to work out of the South Garage when it opened in 1980. She was initially unsure about driving in Minneapolis but received kind support from dispatchers and eventually became comfortable enough to become an extraboard operator. The Route 54, though, remained a favorite because it allowed her to drive up and down West Seventh Street, where her parents grew up, and past Ann Street, where she got her name from. Her proudest accomplishment, she said, was her 32 years of safe driving and earning a 25-year safe driving award and watch.

At South, Ann Marie was known for organizing festive retirement parties, with custom transit cards and balloons. The attention she gave to her co-workers was influenced in part by her mother’s sudden passing in 1996. Growing up, Ann Marie’s mother went out of her way to celebrate her five precious girls. On the bus, Ann Marie also became something of a motherly figure, keeping an eye out for people in need. Toward the end of her career, she put her trust in a regular passenger who was a joy to so many riders and helped him find stability.

While Ann Marie was always giving, she said the job also had its own rewards and provided stability during life’s difficult times. “This work kept me happy when it wasn’t so easy,” she said.

Ann Marie retired in January 2020, shortly after a lovely 40-year surprise party. In retirement, she and her sisters are caring for their father; Ann Marie is also enjoying time with her husband, beloved cat, family and friends. “I’ve been blessed,” she said.

Watch: Ann Marie was featured in a 2019 episode of "Hey! Where Does This Bus Go?"