POULSBO — The North Kitsap School District named its Kingston transportation center the “Ronald E. Lee Transportation Center” in memory of long-time transportation director Ron Lee, on May 12.

The short ceremony, on what would have been Lee’s 65th birthday, was followed by an informal reception.

Superintendent Patty Page, Assistant Superintendent Chris Willits and School Board President Beth Worthington talked about Lee’s impact on the district and officially named the building. Cal White, a retired bus driver for the district, gave the closing remarks.

“When the transportation center was built, Ron thought he’d died and gone to heaven,” White said. “It’s only fitting we name the building after him.”

Ronald E. Lee was born on May 12, 1951 and passed away April 16, 2015. He served 28 years with North Kitsap as the transportation director.

Lee’s family was in attendance, along with the transportation center staff and members of the North Kitsap School Board, to celebrate his life and legacy.

According to his family, he spent his working career “in dedication to the school districts of Washington state”; the bulk of that career was spent at North Kitsap. A wooden sign created and designed by North Kitsap High School senior Bob Evans will be mounted on the building in Lee’s memory.

Evans created the sign as a project for Eric Nieland’s Engineering IV class, and worked on the project for several months to perfect the design, layout and materials to be used.

Evans, who finished the sign just days prior, said it wasn’t an easy process.

“I went through every single font. It took at least a class period to narrow it down to the top four,” he said. “We went with a V-carve design. The final took tutorial, first and second period to complete.”

(A linebacker for the NKHS football team, Evans was Olympic League MVP his junior year and has committed to play at Linfield University this fall.)

A brass plaque will be mounted adjacent to the building dedication plaque. The sign that will be hung prominently on the outside of the building on the right is hoped by Evans to last forever.

“I think Ron would have loved it,” he said. “I love the sign. To me, it’s not quite perfect but I’m excited to come back at our next high school reunion to check it out and see it there.”

Willits said, “This will remind us of Ron’s legacy.”