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The Pinecone
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June 2016
Sharon Shotwell
Congratulations
employee of the month
Sharon has has been an employee of Kirby Pines in the laundry department for more than 17 years.
Her tireless efforts, loyalty, and intense dedication are apparent. Residents are served well as a direct
result of her efforts. As the Director of Environmental Services, I am thankful to have her on my team,
and especially here at Kirby Pines!
- Daniel Longstreth, Director of Environmental Services
and which minimized chances of developing medical issues such as
high blood pressure and/or diabetes. The Underwood family was a
“Catholic” family (his words), meaning that attendance at services
and adherence to the church teachings laid the groundwork for the
parents’ child-rearing philosophy. Neither he nor his wife believed in
spanking or slapping their children when they misbehaved. Rather,
Aidan assumed what he termed a “command presence” - an erect
bearing, eyes fixed, and in firm voice stating the child’s behavior that
was unacceptable. Aidan said the stance worked very well!
Family vacations were usually a 4-week stay on Prince Edward Island
in the CanadianMaritimes, enjoying the lobster fishing, sandy beaches,
and summer theater. Ten grandchildren and three great grandchildren
have been added to the Underwood brood, bringing new challenges
and pleasures to the family circle. When Marjorie passed away in
2012, Aidan became a resident of Kirby Pines.
Aidan, great-grandson Aidan, grandson Michael and son Mark
David Walters
Aidan Underwood, cont.
David was 25 when his daughter,
Bonnie, was born; two+ years later
his son, Reed, was born. What kind
of father would he be? He helped
shape his children’s understanding of
their world as he lead by example –
emphasizing elements of planning and
performing tasks; to do it well, know
what’s needed going into a project
or situation. He was a hands-on Dad,
regularly reading a variety of books to
his young children, remembering the
book “How Babies Were Made” being
a favorite; their “library” was a choice
selection of stories that steadily grew.
His parenting role deepened when his
marriage ended; being a single Dad
had its challenges for child rearing.
His children spent week-ends with him
plus the summer months. At summer
camp, in addition to making friends in
their age groups, the children learned a
good game of tennis, how to swim, and
became proficient in soccer. Tension
may arise when children live with one
parent for a number of months, then
live with the other parent for a number
of months. It’s a workable paradigm if
the interests of the children are uppermost for
the divorced father and mother. Bonnie and
Reed smoothly transitioned between residing
with Dad and, then, with mother. Bonnie was
the first to marry, but Reed soon followed.
All of a sudden (it seemed) David became a
grandfather to six precious grandchildren. A
single Dad – doing it well; successful in taking
on the challenge. The statement by American
writer, Clarence Budington Kelland, best
captures David’s approach to fathering: “my
father didn’t tell me how to live. He lived and
let me watch him do it.”
- Jacqueline Besteman, Resident
Reed and Bonnie in their Sunday best
David, Bonnie and Reed together in 1988