Ken Oliver

PROUD TO BE AN IRISHMAN

“I’m 50 percent Irish,” proudly proclaims Terry Burke. Like many European Americans, Terry’s ancestry is rooted in Ireland; his father and paternal grandparents were 100% Irish. Also, according to genealogy research, the name Burke is associated with nobility in 12th century Ireland, so Terry has reason to be proud.

Terry was born in 1928 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, at the beginning of the Great Depression. His brother joined the family six years later. Terry started kindergarten at age four and remembers a happy childhood, spending a great deal of time on his grandparent’s farm. This farm also provided a good food source for the family during the Depression years. The one hardship Terry recalls is that between his first and eighth grades of school, his parents moved to eight different cities in Iowa due to his father’s employment in the hotel business. However, for his high school years, Terry attended Immaculate Conception in Cedar Rapids. During high school, Terry did not get involved with many school activities. Rather, he concentrated on being a good student and working as a caddy on the golf course, having learned this job at age 12! He “felt” rich earning 65 cents each time he caddied. Terry admits, “I finally found a game I could play.” 

Terry completed high school requirements early by attending classes in the summer. He immediately joined the Army and spent the next 18 months (1946-47) in El Paso, Texas. Three months into his service, the war ended. Terry says he was able to play and improve his golf game during this time – enough that he played for the base championship, but he lost to the Colonel!

Leaving the Army, Terry enrolled in Loras College, a Catholic private school in Dubuque, Iowa, majoring in Accounting. On week-ends he would hitch-hike to home and then “hitch” back to school on Sunday afternoon. After two years, Terry transferred to the University of Iowa in Iowa City and completed requirements for a B.S. in Business Administration, graduating in 1951.

Terry’s first employment was with Neilson Marketing Service. He spent six months in Chicago in orientation, followed by another six months in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He was assigned to the Drug and Food Division and chose Memphis, Tennessee, as his home base, a position he held for 22 years. The job involved a lot of travel as he gathered statistical data for the Neilson reports. This was great for his bachelor lifestyle.

That bachelor lifestyle would come to an end when he began to pay special attention to a beautiful red-headed widow he kept seeing at various social gatherings. Her name was Barbara Espy, and she had two children– Donna, age 11 and Michael, age 4. Terry and Barbara began a courtship and married in 1968. Together, they would have a son, Patrick. Terry says his life-style changed dramatically, but the relationship between him and his step-children was great. “They both were very loving and accepting of me,” admits Terry. Unfortunately, both Donna and Michael died prematurely of heart disease.

However, in the early years, because of financial need, Terry thought he needed to find a way to increase the family income. He first tried a restaurant, but it was a failure. He then started a dry cleaning business, Kirby Parkway Cleaners, which offered many challenges and was near failure when a friend advised Terry and encouraged him with suggestions. Fortunately, with adjustments, and with family members as staff, the business succeeded and provided a good income for the next 40 years! Terry retired from the business in 2017.

The Burke’s were able to travel extensively, even prior to retirement. “Since it was a family business, Barbara and I felt comfortable taking time away; leaving everything in competent hands,” remembers Terry. One of their more memorable trips included a submarine ride that took them down 100 feet. “It was unbelievably beautiful to see the creatures of the deep,” states Terry. However, their most memorable trip was being in New York City and, on their last night there, dining in a restaurant under the Brooklyn Bridge. That was on September 10, 2001. The next day, not knowing about the events that occurred earlier that day, they packed to leave but were, of course, unable to leave New York. Terry and Barbara walked to 42nd and 5th streets and witnessed the destruction of the twin towers amid the smoke and dust. They happened to stand next to a gentleman who was very distraught. “My father was on the 32nd floor of that building,” cried the man. “I was at a loss for words,” admits Terry. “And, it was certainly something I will never forget.”

When Barbara began to have falls and memory problems, Terry realized he would need to find a suitable place for her care. With their son’s suggestion, they investigated Kirby Pines and made the decision to move here in 2021. A short time later, it was necessary to move Barbara to the Manor. Sadly, she died in 2023. Terry says, “She had good care there.”

Terry loves to read and enjoys the weekly visits with son, Patrick. He has three grandchildren who are also close by. He is a member of St. Louis Catholic Church and attends the weekly Catholic service at Kirby Pines. He also takes advantage of the exercise and yoga classes offered here. “We made the right choice to move here,” states Terry. “I am happy!”

Written by Joan Dodson, Resident of Kirby Pines.

The transportation team, led by Latanya Bailey, continues to shine day in and day out. More importantly, during our winter storm on January 10th, the team came together and worked around the clock to shuttle employees from both Kirby and the Farms to work and home. 

Bailey’s leadership skills with coordinating and communicating with her transportation team make her an amazing leader! 

THANK YOU TO BAILEY AND HER TEAM FOR A JOB WELL DONE! 

The transportation team, led by Latanya Bailey, continues to shine day in and day out. More importantly, during our winter storm on January 10th, the team came together and worked around the clock to shuttle employees from both Kirby and the Farms to work and home. 

Bailey’s leadership skills with coordinating and communicating with her transportation team make her an amazing leader! 

THANK YOU TO BAILEY AND HER TEAM FOR A JOB WELL DONE! 

RECONNECTED FOR LIFE

Sometimes in life, circumstances occur which lead to a seemingly providential conclusion. According to Parker, his marriage to Ruth was “arranged” due to the fact that their families were closely associated from the time of their births. Although contact with each other was sporadic in their youth, a reconnection as adults would unite them forever. In March of 2025, Ruth and Parker will celebrate 56 years of marriage.

The primary circumstance that would eventually bring Ruth and Parker together occurred when their parents met while attending an Evangelical Free Church in Jersey City, New Jersey. The families became very close, and when Ruth’s mother, who had enrolled in Nyack Missionary Institute, was having financial difficulty, Parker’s family helped to support her so that she could remain in school. This is their story:

Born in 1942, Ruth Nilsen (Knopp) describes herself as “double trouble” as she was both a preacher’s and missionary’s kid (PK/MK). Ruth and her parents lived in Holiday Cove, West Virginia, where her father was pastor of a church. The family later moved to Dearborn, Michigan, and while there, Ruth’s brother was born, and her parents were “called” to become missionaries to Columbia, South America. Unfortunately, Ruth’s father died of typhoid two and one-half years after their arrival in Columbia, but her mother remained there in missionary work for 28 years. However, Ruth’s family always returned to Teaneck, New Jersey, when her mother had a “leave” from her missionary work; that would always put Ruth and Parker’s families in close contact.

Ruth would call Columbia her home base from 1948 until 1960. The family lived in seven different parts of Columbia while Ruth lived there. To attend an appropriate school, it was necessary for Ruth to spend nine months of each year in a boarding school for missionary children in Quito, Ecuador. Except for the two weeks at Christmas, and the two and one-half months of summer break, Ecuador was her “home.” Because of limited communications during school, each student was expected to have a letter written to their parents every Sunday, or they would not be allowed to eat supper! Ruth had her 6th and 12th grades in the United States when her mother was on “leave” from her missionary work. Her 12th grade was in Teaneck, New Jersey, where the number of students was over 600. That was cultural shock as Ruth’s previous school had 12! 

Following graduation from high school, Ruth remained in Teaneck and entered secretarial school while living with an aunt and cousins. During this time, she found part-time employment in a law firm and remained in the legal field for 13 years, eventually becoming the office manager.

Parker Nilsen was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, in 1941. He had an older brother and was later joined by a younger one. Parker and his brothers were First Generation Americans as their parents and grandparents came to America from Norway. When he was four years old, Parker’s family moved to Maywood, N.J., where he attended school through the ninth grade. It was necessary for him to ride public transportation through two towns to reach a school for the remaining high school years. Parker began work at 12 years of age as a stock clerk in a gift shop. “Because my family was lower middle class economically,” recalls Parker, “it was necessary for me to begin work two years before I could actually get work papers!”

The work and family examples were influential in molding a strong work ethic in Parker. His desire for a better life led him to enroll in Taylor University in Upland, Indiana. He arrived on campus and experienced cultural shock– coming from a metropolitan area near New York City to a small town surrounded by corn fields! Parker graduated in 1964 with degrees in Mathematics and Chemistry. He entered the Army military service and served three years in what Parker calls an “interesting assignment”–military intelligence. He was assigned to a field office in Karlsruhe, Germany, and served in civilian clothes the entire time.

Returning to Maywood after his military service, Parker and Ruth reconnected at a church activity. Ruth was still working for the law firm, and Parker took a position with SAFECO Insurance Company. The couple began dating in 1968, became engaged in three months, and married in March 1969. Four years later, their son, Thomas Allen, was born; three years later, their daughter, Kristin, joined them. Unfortunately, at the age of 25, Tom developed Ewings sarcoma and passed away after 17 months of treatment. Parker recalls, “Tom had a great faith, and from the time he received the diagnosis, he said, ‘I am in God’s hands –there is no better place to be.’ ’’ It was during this time that Ruth was diagnosed with breast cancer.

The Nilsens were living in St. Louis, Missouri, but after retirement, they wanted to be closer to their daughter, Kristin, and her family. They believed that their ministry was to help Kristin and their son-in-law, Alex. At Easter in 2022, they visited Kirby Pines and made the decision to move here. They babysit their granddaughter, Kayleigh, at least two days a week while Kristin works as a nurse at St Jude’s. They attend First Baptist Church in Collierville with Kristin’s family.

Ruth and Parker say, “We are thankful for our move to Kirby Pines as we have met a wonderful group of loving and caring people.”

Written by Joan Dodson, Resident of Kirby Pines.