Salina Presbyterian Manor
Mary’s Musings AUGUST 2019
Getting to know: Pat Tomlins
Pat Tomlins is very happy with her decision to get on the waiting list for Salina Presbyterian Manor. Pat Tomlins may have only been a resident at the community since last November, but she has already had a big impact on those around her. To get to know her a little better, we asked her to tell us about herself. What kind of work did you do before you retired? “I was a professional secretary/administrative assistant and spent the majority of years I worked as administrative assistant for Sam Evans at Evans Grain Company in Salina. When Evans Grain sold the office and closed, I wasn’t quite ready to retire, so I went to work for consumer credit counseling in the education department and taught budget workshops for five years before retiring.” -Tomlins, continued on page 2
Reflections on grief and community I often refer to the residents here at the Presbyterian Manor as family, but I also believe that we are a unique community. Community is defined as a group of people with a common characteristic or interest living together within a larger society. Throughout my life, I have been blessed to be surrounded and supported by many different communities. Each one of these communities provide caring support and encouragement during the many different stages of my life. August has become a month of reflection for me. It was on August 18, 2006, that our family was changed forever. It was the day our son, Todd, died in a car accident. Coming from large families, Kenny and I had experienced the loss of parents, grandparents, siblings, nieces, nephews and close friends in what seems like every conceivable way; old-age, cancer, heart attacks, Alzheimer’s, accidents, suicide, murder and flash floods. We had also experienced the life-changing loss of jobs, pets, homes, relationships and communities. Having experienced loss in so many ways, I thought I knew about grief and mourning. Was I ever wrong. Each loss affects our life in a multitude of different ways. My mother’s heart was broken, but the realization that my grandson would grow up without a father -Chaplain, continued on page 2
Salina Presbyterian Manor | A PMMA COMMUNITY
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