Salina Presbyterian Manor
NOVEMBER 2020
Retired nurse had a passion for caring for sick people, their families and the aging Kim Daly Fair knew she wanted to become a nurse from a very young age. Her inspiration was Ruby, the nurse at her doctor’s office.
John Smutz attended boot camp in Parris Island, S.C. His Marine Corps dress uniform still fits.
A Salina veteran shares his story
“Ruby was probably not 6 feet tall, but she looked like it,” said Kim, an independent living resident at Salina Presbyterian Manor. “There was something about her smile, white cap, white uniform, white shoes. I thought she was wonderful.”
By John Smutz, resident
Kim never wavered from her goal. After she completed her training at Grace Hospital in Hutchinson in the late 1960s, Kim Daly Fair Kim transferred to St. John’s Hospital in Salina. She began in maternity because it was the only job available. “I said, ‘Just get me out of here and onto a medical floor,’” Kim said, laughing. “And they did after a few months. I never thought about surgery. I just wanted to care for sick people.” In medical wards, many of Kim’s patients had chronic illnesses or were terminally ill. She learned to care for family members as much as patients. Sometimes, that included guiding them through the death of their loved one. Some 10 years into her career, Kim read an article about the new hospice movement. She reached out to a nurse who worked at what was then Salina’s other major hospital, and the two women convinced their directors of nursing that this was an idea worth pursuing. The hospitals collaborated to open Hospice of Salina in the mid-1980s. “Before hospice, nobody talked about death,” Kim said. “But it helped NURSE - continued on page 2
Editor’s note: Shortly after his military service, the Smutz family relocated to the Salina area, where John worked as an architect for more than six decades. He has lived at Salina Presbyterian Manor for five years. I was born on a farm in Pawnee County, Neb. My first experience with education was a one-room country school for children in first through eighth grades. I was only four years old, and with no kindergarten, I was “age hindered” compared to the city kids. After graduating from high school, I attended the University of Nebraska. The war was in full swing, so, like most others, I joined the military. I chose the Marines, which allowed me to finish out the year before being called up and sent to boot camp at Parris VETERAN - continued on page 5
Salina Presbyterian Manor | A PMMA COMMUNITY
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NURSE - continued from page 1
families, because they knew what to expect. And it was wonderful, because people could stay in their homes where they were comfortable. Most people don’t want to go to the hospital at the end of their life. So that was a big change in nursing.” Kim spent the rest of her nursing career working with hospice patients and their families. “I don’t know why it fit me, but it
did,” she said. When Kim retired, the Salina Journal wrote a story about her career. The next day, the executive director of Presbyterian Manor called her with a question: Are you really ready to stop working? Two weeks later, Kim started a new position as the marketing director at Presbyterian Manor. In that role, she helped senior citizens and their families navigate a different kind of life transition.
A year before her second retirement, Kim became a resident. She said she enjoyed taking the elevator to work. Kim has been retired for about five years, and she loves living at Presbyterian Manor. She loves having someone to talk to if she feels like it, or extra help when she needs it. Her favorite part is the large campus, which includes a pond and walking paths. It’s peaceful here, like her old home in the country. ◆
Thank you to our nurses Thanks to all the residents who have served as registered nurses over the years. We are proud of your dedication.
Irene Gladem, 40 years Myra Grabon, 20 years Mary Havel, 16 years Marie Scott, 20 years
Mary Lee Arnold, 20 years
Marsha Stewart, 26 years
Lois Buxton, 22 Years
Carolyn Urban, 20 years
Trudy Chaney, 50 years
Lola Zook, 40 years
Kim Daly Fair, 40 years Roberta Dreese, 8 years Carolyn Urban, assisted living resident
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Community Matters 785-825-1366 ◆ Fax: 785-825-6554 2601 E. Crawford Salina, KS 67401-3898 SalinaPresbyterianManor.org
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is published monthly for residents and friends of Salina Presbyterian Manor by Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America, Inc., a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization.
To submit or suggest articles: cboos@PMMA.org Christian Gilbert, executive director
OUR MISSION: To provide quality senior services guided by Christian values.
COMMUNITY MATTERS | November 2020
Thank you to our veterans Thank you to all our residents who served in the armed forces. We are so proud of your service. Arthur Adams, Navy Dale Anderson, Air Force Rod Anderson, Army Warren Blazer, Army Leonard Buehre, Air Force Dean Chaput, Marines Mark Crow, National Guard Don Cunningham, Army John Dirickson, Air Force Bill Dreese, Army Frank Ferson, Air Force George Grabon, Navy Bill Grosser, Army Dean Groves, Army Ted Harder, Army
Reese Hays, Army John Hunt, Navy Richard Jones, Navy Bill Knox, Air Force Glenn Kohr, Air Force John Komarek, Army John Landes, Army Ila Lemon, Army Don Lloyd, Air Force Jack Ludwig, Air Force Loren Marler, Army Bob Mermis, Army Air Corps John Miller, Army Air Corps Mike O’Connor, Army Reserve/ Kansas National Guard Bob Ott, National Guard Pete Peterson, Army Lewis Reid, Navy Ray Salmon, Army
Fred Schroth, Coast Guard Jerry Schuetz, Army Don Smischny, Navy John Smutz, Marines Frank Spurney, Air Force Marsha Stewart, Army Romaine Swanson, Army Don Tillberg, Army Sandra Warren, Army Charlie Weathers, Air Force John Zimmerman, Navy ◆
Salina Presbyterian Manor activities Keep an eye on your activity calendar so you know what events and activities are happening each day! It is so important to stay active, to have time available to socialize and to really get to know your neighbors. Floor parties will continue, as will our routine activities such as exercise, movies and of course, our ice cream social in the chapel on Fridays. We also look forward to adding more outings. Stay active, stay happy, stay healthy!
Every page has a color, a life, a story of its own. Let the 2021 Art is Ageless calendar (coming soon) inspire you.
—Lacey Buhrle, life enrichment director ◆ Salina Presbyterian Manor | A PMMA COMMUNITY
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Mary’s Musings By Mary Bridges, Chaplain
“In reality, life is all about change. We may be afraid of it. We may try to avoid it. But no matter how we view it, change is going to come our way.” — Abigail Brenner, M.D. Our lives are defined by change, which we mark with baptisms, birthdays, graduations, weddings and celebrations of life. Rituals can be an integral part of change, whether it is planned or comes without warning. Some change brings joy, but it can also cause pain and sorrow. To say 2020 is synonymous with change would be an understatement. What makes this year so overwhelming is that everyone is struggling with a world we no longer recognize. Since it is difficult to gather in groups, we can use self-created rituals to comfort ourselves as we adjust to this new way of life. We can all create meaningful rituals. I use what I call “centering places” that help me focus. Soft music, nature sounds or silence
can enhance the ritual. Weather permitting, there is no better place than outside in God’s beautiful creation. Nature’s changing seasons are a reminder that our lives are also built around change. In this place you can reflect, meditate, remember and pray. I have two centering places in my home. The first is a collection of battery-operated candles representing each person in our family. I light them whenever I have a need to feel connected to them. They have burned nonstop since the shutdown changed our lives on March 13. (It’s costing me
a small fortune in batteries.) When I find myself starting to worry, I use a very simple ritual. As I watch the candles, I center my heart and speak a simple prayer of gratitude and a request to keep them safe. A second place helps me remember the people in my life no longer with me. On an antique washstand, I’ve collected objects of theirs that I treasure. Among these are a depression glass vase, a handmade rabbit, my grandmother’s reading glasses and a wooden bowl. Here my ritual includes prayers of gratitude and memories of the time we shared. ◆
COVID-19 updates continue Get the latest updates on visitation status, ongoing safety measures and PMMA’s response to COVID-19 on your community website, SalinaPresbyterianManor.org/covid-19. If there is a COVID-19 outbreak (positive COVID-19 test) at your community, your leadership team will contact employees, residents and their designated family representatives via telephone, email or mail with information about the outbreak and the recommendations of the local health department. ◆
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COMMUNITY MATTERS | November 2020
VETERAN - continued from page 1
Island, S.C. After boot camp, I was sent to a replacement unit at camp Lejeune, N.C. They were short of company-grade officers, so those with any prior college were sent across the base to officer candidate school, and from there to the Marine Corps academy at Quantico, Va. After graduation, I returned to a replacement unit at Lejeune. By that time the war had ended, and I was sent to an ammunition depot in Virginia. It was there I met a secretary, whom I eventually married. After my release, I returned to Pawnee, where I was joined by the ammo depot secretary. We were married in our family home. We made our home in Hastings, Neb., until I was recalled to active duty
and sent to Korea, leaving a wife and three-year-old to fend for themselves. I joined a machine gun platoon until our company commander was killed and everyone moved forward, filling the gap. I wound up with a rifle platoon, a position I occupied for the next eight months. We proceeded north, re-taking one hill at a time from the Chinese until we had retaken all of Korea’s east coast from Pusan to about 20 miles north of the 38th parallel. This took eight winter months. What I most remember is eating and sleeping outdoors all winter. After reaching the 38th, I was reassigned as graves registration officer. This new assignment has perks such as a heated tent, a folding cot with sleeping bag and three meals a day.
I was all set to meet my wife once my time was up and I was back in the states. Instead, I was sent to the hospital on Treasure Island for two weeks to be “de-wormed.” I finally got a thumbs-up from the nurses and got turned loose to meet my family, who were waiting for me with relatives in San Diego. ◆
Salina Presbyterian Manor | A PMMA COMMUNITY
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2601 E. Crawford Salina, KS 67401-3898 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
Employee of the Month: Nancy Doss Congratulations to Nancy Doss, our October employee of the month. She has worked as a CNA and CMA in the memory care neighborhood for eight months.
amassed a collection of more than 100 dolls.
Born in Del Rio, Texas, Nancy has lived in six different states. She enjoys reading, walking her dogs, and visiting libraries and museums. She is also an avid collector, and has
“I’ve been privileged to work with the elderly since I was 16,” Nancy said. “I love working at the Manor. It’s a beautiful place with beautiful people.” ◆
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Though she doesn’t have children of her own, Nancy helped raise her niece and nephew.
COMMUNITY MATTERS | November 2020