Kirby Pines Retirement Community | The Pinecone

not an option economically, so I was very happy to ‘capture’Charlie.” The couple soon moved to Memphis when Charlie was offered a job, and Memphis became their permanent home. In 1960, Pat and Charlie welcomed their daughter, Shari. Their son, Eric, was added in 1963. Pat enjoyed being a stay at home mom until her former desire to become a nurse surfaced, and she enrolled in the nursing program at Memphis State University. Following graduation Pat worked at Baptist Memorial Hospital for 10 years. Pat’s husband, Charlie, had become successful in starting and owning Industrial Parts and Electric Motors, so Pat decided to leave nursing and enjoy the “grandmother experience” with her five grandchildren. However, to qualify to better help others, Pat enrolled in the five year Bible Study Fellowship program as well as in Creighton College, graduating in 1984 with a B.S. in Psychology and a minor in Bible. Following graduation from Creighton, Pat was asked to volunteer in the Biblical Guidance program at Bellevue Baptist Church. This was a family counseling service in which she served two days a week for 13 years. Charlie served as teacher of one of Bellevue’s largest Bible classes for 30 years! During their 50’s, Pat and Charlie were free to travel, including trips to Europe, China and several cruises. According to Pat, “We just enjoyed life, especially our time at Pickwick Lake in Mississippi. In 2012, Charlie was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and because of other medical issues, our traveling ended along with many other lifestyle changes.” By 2019, Charlie’s Parkinson’s and dementia had progressed significantly, and Pat knew it was time to seek help. Pat remembers, “After much research and prayer, I decided we should move to Kirby Pines. I felt the sense of the Holy Spirit when I first drove onto the beautiful campus.” They soon moved into a garden home. Charlie succumbed to his illnesses in January 2021. Pat says she became pretty much a recluse, grieving her loss for three years. She gradually became involved in the life of Kirby Pines, and realized there was a need for residents who are care givers or have suffered the loss of a loved one. Pat organized a Caregiver Support Group which meets monthly. She believes it is her mission to support those in her group and others and is available for one-on-one conversations. Pat also volunteers with the Marketing Department. In 2023, Pat and her daughter, Shari, visited Japan. Pat exclaims, “Things have really changed!” Asked for thoughts of Kirby Pines, Pat responded, “While Kirby does many things well, it is the people who are the crowning jewel! We have the good, the gracious and the ‘goofy’ but we are still our own small town with faith, family and fulfillment.” Written by Joan Dodson, Resident of Kirby Pines The Pinecone | September 2025 • 7 • When high school or early romances result in marriage, life’s patterns and career goals are usually altered. In today’s world, it is not unusual for a woman to make a career move once her children become less dependant on her. Such was the case of Pat Brand, who, at the age of 30, entered the nursing program at Memphis State University (now, University of Memphis), graduating with an A.D. in Nursing in 1970. Fueled by her nurturing nature, Pat later sought a broader preparation for helping others by obtaining a B.S. in Psychology with a minor in Bible at Creighton College, graduating at the age of 44. In 1940, Patricia Brand (nee Stewart) was born in Charleston, South Carolina. Her father, an officer in the Army, was stationed there. Because Pat and her younger brother were military “brats,” there were frequent moves resulting in Pat living on seven different bases and attending 12 different schools before high school. In 1941, when Pat was 18 months old, her father was transferred to Santa Ana, California, arriving there just after the attack on Pearl Harbor. In 1947, Pat’s father was sent to Fukuoka, Japan. Pat, her mother and new-born brother were living in Decatur, Mississippi, at that time. To get to Japan, her mother drove them to California in a car without air conditioning and power steering! The trip to Japan on a military ship lasted 12 days, and they experienced a typhoon which nearly capsized their ship. However, living in Japan was one of Pat’s most interesting life experiences. For third grade, she attended a one-room school located on the base; her teacher was a volunteer. Following the war, Japan was struggling to recover from the destruction of the bombing. Poverty was evident and many Japanese housekeepers were available to the base families. In later life, Pat would learn that she was part of one of the largest experiments ever conducted by the U.S. Government to “westernize” another country. The purpose of having theArmy base there was to promote socialization of the Japanese to American culture and improve the image of America. The family left Japan in 1950. When Pat was 13 years old, her parents divorced. Pat, her brother and mother moved back to Decatur to live with her grandmother. As a new girl in this small town, she attracted the attention of Charlie Brand who was three years older. This mutual attraction would continue even though Pat moved to Meridian, Mississippi, to attend high school. In 1958, Pat graduated fromhigh school, and she andCharlieweremarried twomonths later. Pat says, “My goal at that time was to marry Charlie. College was LIFE'S MISSION: HELPING OTHERS Resident Spotlight: Pat Brand Wedding Day August 1958