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A LIFE WELL LIVED AT KIRBY PINES

Juanita Smith (née Radcliff) was crowned Miss Wayne County of West Virginia, twice during her years of high school. Today, 87 years later, that same beauty, the sparkling eyes and the beautiful smile is still seen when looking into the face of Juanita, now 101 years old! If not for the effects of a recent stroke, one could expect to see Juanita do the Charleston, the dance she became famous for after moving to Kirby Pines.

On this, the 35th anniversary of Kirby Pines Estates, we celebrate the life of Juanita Smith who has lived at Kirby Pines longer than any other resident – 29 and a half years! Having good genes (her father lived to be 102) has no doubt been a factor in her longevity. However, she exemplifies the research that individuals living in a retirement setting tend to live longer. Juanita’s eyes light up when she remembers the good times she has had while living at Kirby Pines. While her husband Charles was living, the couple captured the dance floor as they reportedly were the best Charleston dancing couple in Memphis, or, maybe the world. She enjoyed teaching other residents how to “hula-hoop”. She also enjoyed line dancing, Tai Chi, all kinds of games, the puzzle table and most of all just socializing with her friends.

Juanita and her husband, Charles, moved to Memphis in 1984 to be near their daughter, Linda. They made the decision to move to Kirby Pines in February, 1989 and entrenched themselves in the activities of Kirby Pines. They placed their church membership at Central Church.

So, what was life like for Juanita, growing up in a small community of West Virginia? Born on October 10, 1916, Juanita was one of nine children. She remembers her childhood as a happy time although times were difficult for the family. Work was scarce but her father was able to find three to four days of work each week on the railroad. Her mother canned all summer and Juanita remembers her favorite was the pickled corn and the sauerkraut available in the winter months. Her mother was a loving and compassionate person, always setting up a table on the back porch and placing food there for the “hobos”. Christmas was always a big event. All nine children received a gift, the girls always getting a doll with “a big, hard head”.

After finishing high school in 1934, Juanita worked briefly in a dime store and a beauty parlor. However, her father insisted she live at home and discouraged her working outside the home.

On April 14, 1938, Juanita married Charles Smith. Charles worked as a presser in a glass factory. West Virginia is well known for its “glass houses” and beautiful glassware. A year later, Juanita gave birth to her only child, Linda. Juanita’s lifetime career centered around being a mother and homemaker.

Today Juanita Smith resides in the Gallery Manor at Kirby Pines. Her husband, Charles, died in 2007. Her daughter, Linda Sprague lives in Memphis in another retirement community. In addition, Juanita has two grandchildren, two great grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren. Her grandson Jonathan and his wife Connie, visit Juanita often.

Juanita loves to have company and reminisce about the good times at Kirby Pines. She enjoys all of the entertainment programs that are provided in The Manor. She especially looks forward to the visits of her great-grandchildren from Florida.

Hopefully, we will all remember the important date of October 10, 2018, when the big 102 will be celebrated!

All in all, a life well-lived and remembered.

Greatest Generation Exemplified

The curtain opens: A handsome man dressed in wedding attire enters the stage to marry (for the fourth time!) his stage sweetheart. Ken Lewis is the groom. When he is not actively involved in a skit for the Kirby Pines Ham-ateur Club, Ken is backstage operating the curtains. To those who know Ken, his sense of humor is one of his most endearing qualities.

All is not fun and games, however. Since moving from Collierville to Kirby Pines in 2008, Ken has volunteered to use his management and people skills in various organizations which benefit the residents of Kirby Pines. For example, Ken served one term as President of the Kirby Pines Resident Association and one term on the Advisor’s Committee (now serving as Wing Leader). He was selected as King of Kirby Pines for one year and is currently a member of The Ambassador Group for the Marketing Department. Although he is not actively dancing with the Kirby Pines Line Dancers, he remains with the group in an assisting role.

So, what kind of background produced such a giving person? Like many of his age group, known as the “Greatest Generation”, Ken’s life was shaped by involvement in two wars. With that involvement came the realization of the important things in life. This is Ken’s story:
Kenneth (Ken) Lewis was born on July 11, 1922 in Golden, Colorado. Shortly after, his family moved back to their family ranch in Sweetwater, Texas. The ranch was a beef cattle ranch and Ken earned enough money showing calves in the 4-H Club to pay for three years of college.

Ken graduated from high school in 1940 and enrolled in Texas Tech University. Like most young men at that time, Ken enrolled in the Army Air Corp Reserves. Because of WWII, Ken was called to active duty and spent the next year in flight training. He graduated in 1944 and was ordered to troop carrier units in England, France, and Puerto Rico. Their mission was to re-supply combat troops, tow gliders, drop paratroopers, evacuate the wounded and transport troops. At the end of WWII, Ken returned to Texas Tech and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture.

After graduation, Ken had a three-year career as a county agricultural agent. However, in 1951, he was again called to active duty and served in the US Air Force for two years. Ken says that the most momentous occasion in that assignment was meeting a US Navy nurse, Ensign Jean Sauer, on her first day of duty. The relationship blossomed even though their tour of duties meant both time and distance apart. They were married in 1955 after they were discharged from the Air Force and Navy.
Returning to civilian life, Ken was employed by the National Cottonseed Products Association as a field representative, retiring after 34 years as the Executive Vice President. The business had moved the Lewis family from Dallas, Texas to Memphis in 1969. His work required extensive travel not only in the US, but to the Soviet Union, Europe, Egypt, China, Japan, Venezuela, the Dominican Republic and Iran. A world traveler, indeed.

Ken and Jean had two daughters and a son who died in infancy. Jean passed away n 2000. Ken now has three grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, and a soon-to-be granddaughter-in-law.

Christ the King Lutheran Church was a cornerstone for the Lewis family. Both Jean and Ken were very active in various organizations in the church. Ken remains an active member there.

A good friend of Ken’s has described him as a good man who is willing to help anyone he can. That pretty well sums up the nature of Ken Lewis.

On pretty days you can find Ken at Fox Meadows Golf Course where, according to him, he mostly shoots his age.

Enjoying Life & Coming Home

Diane Stigall was born April 9, 19 – well, we don’t have to go there – in Memphis, Tennessee, the oldest of three. Her father, Terry Hiram Stigall was an electrician for Memphis, Light, Gas, and Water, and her mother, Marcelle Bobbe Stigall, was a homemaker who eventually went to work for the Corp of Engineers after the kids were grown. Diane attended Central High School in Memphis and after graduation continued her education at Memphis State University.

She was a journalism major and minored in education and history. She worked on the school newspaper, was active in sorority life and was even editor of the yearbook. She spent school breaks working at Sears Crosstown where she came to realize how strange, yet interesting, people can be.

Her sophomore year, a friend was dating a young man who had a friend on the football team. His name was Frank R. Talarico. Frank attended Hope College in Holland, Michigan before being drafted to the Army for two years. He ended up at Memphis State to continue his engineering degree when he was introduced to Diane. The two dated a year and on June 8, 1957, the end of their junior year, they decided to marry.

After graduation, they moved to Herkimer, New York, about 15 miles southeast of Utica. Frank was born in Herkimer and his father built roads and bridges. He took his knowledge to form a family business, named after Frank and his brother, Talson’s Contracting Corporation.

Diane stayed home and raised their daughter, Karen. After two years as a homemaker, Diane spent a year teaching junior high history. She then began studying language arts for the next several years, substitute teaching and raising their second child, Terrance. While in grad school she found completing her Masters would force her to choose a specific field of study, so she opted to continue her education as she decided and became eligible to teach K-12.

After Frank’s father passed, he and his brother continued running the contracting business and in 1980, Diane went to teach English full-time at Herkimer High School. Diane retired in 1995 when Frank’s brother died. Frank continued to run Talson’s. Diane then went to docenting at the Munson Williams Proctor Arts Institute in Utica.

Becoming a docent required training, during which time she gave tours, worked special programs, taught children to appreciate art and helped immigrants staying in refugee centers prepare for citizenship. She found this work quite rewarding and meaningful. Diane was also very active in the Herkimer Garden Club, which she enjoyed for 46 years.

In 2005, Frank retired. Diane took up golf, which Frank already played, and they would spend their winters in Myrtle Beach or Florida. They had done some traveling over the years, and it was a trip to Germany in the early 80s to visit their daughter when Diane got the desire to see the world. The two took trips, but Frank wasn’t as impressed, so Diane and her girlfriends traveled the world while Frank and the other husbands held down their forts.

Frank passed away in 2015, and Diane decided after a year and a half that a four-bedroom house, was too much. She looked at several options, and in 2017 decided to go back to Memphis. Her father had died in 1987, and after “Hurricane Elvis” in 2004, she and her siblings moved their mother. Bobbe Stigall, to Kirby Pines. The upkeep on her house was just too much for an 86-year-old woman, so reluctantly she went, where she happily enjoyed life. Diane’s sister, Cheryl, was married to the Kirby Pines Chaplain, Don Johnson, so it made the transition even easier.

Diane followed in her mother’s footsteps and chose Kirby Pines as her home in June of 2017. She felt Kirby had so much to offer and the people were all very friendly and open. She enjoys the Book Baggers, the Travelers outings and is thinking of checking out the Photo Club.

Her mother passed away in December of 2017, just shy of her 100th birthday, and was loved by everyone. I know Diane was glad to spend her mother’s final months with her and, after getting to know Diane, I also know she will happily enjoy her life at Kirby Pines, too.