Some people buy flowers to remember a beloved family member; Sheryce Raynor bought a minibus.

The school principal and taxi operator put the Phyl-Joy Express on the road this summer, naming the business after her grandmother Phyllis Joyce Somersall.

Mrs Somersall died in 2022, three months short of her 101st birthday.

The aim is to start transporting seniors but Mrs Raynor is looking for buy-in from the Government to make it affordable for older people.

She often transported her grandmother to appointments or for joy rides.

“I lived in Sandys, so we often drove to St George’s to eat lunch,” Mrs Raynor said. “She really liked Mulligan’s.”

Ms Somersall’s picture is painted on the back of the minibus.

The Phyl-Joy Express has 14 seats and room for one wheelchair.

“The minibus reflects my commitment to honour granny’s legacy by serving our community, especially the elderly who require assistance in navigating their daily lives,” Mrs Raynor said.

She and her husband, Lee Raynor, also want to market the vehicle as a party and tour bus. It can also be rented privately to small groups.

The Phyl-Joy Express spent the summer showing Bermuda’s visitors the wonders of the island’s culture and heritage.

“Each passenger who enters my bus not only receives a ride but also the story of Granny Phyllis,” Mrs Raynor said. “I talk about the values she instilled in me and the love she shared so freely. Her spirit will live on through every journey taken with the Phyl-Joy Express.”

The Raynors are both qualified to drive the minibus but hired someone to handle it for them.

Mrs Raynor is principal of Lagoon Park Preschool in Sandys.

“I never told my granny that I planned to get a minibus one day,” Mrs Raynor said. “However, knowing how much I like children and older people, she did say to me once that she would not be surprised if one day I had a bus full of seniors.”

Getting the word out about the business has been one of her biggest challenges.

Mrs Raynor said her grandmother’s legacy was stitched into the fabric of our community and family.

“Her memory will continue to shine brightly in our lives for ever,” she added.