Kirby Pines Retirement Community | The Pinecone

holding a shovel and pail, she fell down the stairs, removing half of one of her tonsils with the sharp handle of the shovel. Somehow, she survived childhood! When her father’s time in the Air Force ended, the family moved to Oakfield, Tennessee, near family. Clay attended her first eight years of school in Oakfield, a four room school house where grade levels were combined. She was a good student, but sometimes, she was dispatched to the cloak closet for “talking too much in class.” For high school, Clay attended North Side High School which combined several schools; it was a good blend of different backgrounds. Clay was very active in high school and was involved with and president of many clubs, including the Beta Club. She sang in the school chorus, and was selected to sing with the All West Tennessee Chorus in Memphis andAll State Chorus, performing in Nashville. She graduated in 1962, fifth in a class of 95 students. Following high school, Clay enrolled in business school. Her first full- time job was as a service representative with Southern Bell in Jackson, Tennessee, for a salary of $ 49.50 per week. Clay says that her fear at 19 years of age of becoming an “old maid” caused her to marry the first boy who asked her. They were soon divorced, and according to Clay, “there are worse things than being unmarried.” After three years with Southern Bell in Jackson, Clay was promoted to a supervisory position and continued in upward promotions until she was finally promoted to a management position at the headquarters, now South Central Bell, in Birmingham, Alabama. Following her first promotion to Memphis, Clay met Jim Shaw on a blind date in 1981. In 1983, they “eloped” to Reno, Nevada, and honeymooned in Lake Tahoe. Clay and Jim remained in Memphis for several years before Clay was promoted to the headquarters office in Birmingham. Following this move, Jim returned to his first love of building things and eventually became Project Manager of a construction company, building luxurious custom homes. They lived in Birmingham for 40 plus years. They soon joined in Alabama’s “football religion” and loved every minute of it. After one year in Birmingham, Clay resigned because of added travel requirements. Not ready to really retire, she began work for Proassurance Corporation, setting up aHumanResources Department. Both Jim and Clay were retired by 2015. Although they had traveled extensively in their jobs, their favorite trip was visiting Hawaii –four times! As health problems began to occur, Jim and Clay wanted to be closer to family. With the help of Clay’s siblings, Kirby Pines was selected. “Leaving our home in Alabama was the hardest thing we’ve ever done,” say the Shaws, “but we are happy here in our beautiful apartment, and the people here are fantastic. We are back in Tennessee where we started!” Written by Joan Dodson, Resident of Kirby Pines The Pinecone | November 2025 • 7 • Jim and Clay Shaw are thankful they were born in America, found each other, had successful careers and are now living in their chosen home of Kirby Pines. They are grateful that their lives have been so blessed. Both Jim and Clay were military “brats,” but in a different context. Jim was born in Hamlet, N.C., in 1938, one of four children. Hamlet was a hub for the Seaboard Railroad Company which played an important role in our country’s defense in World War II. Hamlet was located near Ft. Bragg, where many were trained for the war. Jim, in his young age, was part of the “war games” conducted by the military in their town. Troops passing through Hamlet were always a treat for the children. Jim attended the schools in Hamlet and was active in the Cub Scouts, eventually becoming an Eagle Scout. A good student, he excelled in sports, especially football, achieving honors as MVP and All State recognition. Sadly, Jim’s father passed away when Jim was 13 years old. This affected Jim greatly, and he says it altered his life experiences “going forward.” In 1956, after graduation, Jim joined the Air Force. He spent two years in Japan as a Gunner on an Air Force Douglas B-66 bomber flying night reconnaissance over North Korea. Once, his plane was approached by a South Korean plane and escorted to the ground. “They thought,” according to Jim, “that the in-air fueling device was a new defense weapon on the plane!” Jim also played football for the Air Force team and was named MVP at the end of the season. Following his discharge from the Air Force in 1959, Jim began work as a claims adjuster for an insurance company. He soon married, and had two children, but the marriage ended after five years. Sometime later, Jim was offered a promotion as a Claims Manager in Memphis. In 1981, he met Clay Hillard and a new chapter in his life began. In 1944, Clay Rose Hillard was born in Humboldt, Tennessee. Her mother was 17 years old, and her father was in the Navy, serving in the South Pacific. She was named Clay for her father and grandfather. When Clay’s father returned from the Navy, he joined the Air Force, which meant frequent moves for the family. Clay was an only child for four years, and then a sister and a brother were added. To say Clay was “accident prone” is an understatement. While living in Nebraska, she fell twice from an unlocked window screen – two stories to the ground! Once THANKFUL, BLESSED & GRATEFUL Resident Spotlight: Jim & Clay Shaw Jim & Clay Shaw in 1983