Family Sharing About Kim

Read by Gail Bates and Jan Snyder at the Service

Kim’s heart was made of Gold – so very strong and courageous but yet tender and loving.  She always found time for the people around her. Even in her last week’s as we were crowded around her transport gurney in a hospital elevator…. on the way to her surgery, she would look up to ask us how a niece was that had suffered a miscarriage.  She would ask about a friend dealing with cancer.  She was happy for a fellow War Eagle princess that received good news from a scan even though she herself did not.

Kim did not put herself first – the only thing we can remember her doing for herself was to buy her set of Chocolate berry dishes and every time she got a new piece it was like Christmas all over again.  She never asked for anything nor did she need anything.  As long as she had her family and friends she felt blessed.

Kim not only loved spending time with her kids and grandkids she found activities that would create life-time memories such as planting a fairy garden with Hailey, taking JJ to his papa to ride the B-bine and singing to Ryan as she rocked him that he was her Sunshine – her only sunshine.  She loved having the kids to the farm for slumber parties. You always felt important when Nana Kim was present.

The hardest thing for Kim these past few years was the fact that her grandkids are so young and won’t be able to remember their Nana.  She decided to make sure that didn’t happen as she helped make them each a quilt and left a pocket on the back of each so we can leave them a note with what they meant to her.

When Kim was diagnosed with cancer she made the decision right there and then that if the Dr. would give her a ray of hope she would fight and that she did.  She never let a day go by without purpose.  As part of her “purposeful living” theme she never left a family gathering without a hug or an “I love you” to everyone present.  She taught us to always look for the good.

Kim would not let you get away with something if she thought it was wrong. Some might look at this as a weakness but we looked at it as strength.  She had no trouble speaking the truth but she also had no problem saying I am sorry if she knew she was wrong.  She was a protective mama bear when it came to her cubs and believe me, you did not want to mess with anyone close to her.  She was objective and fair and never took advantage of a person.

Kim loved having fun – whether it was dressing up for a Halloween party, getting down on the floor with the little ones or pretending to be a Grinch to raise money for the local community.

Relay for Life became a passion of Kim’s – she was always looking for ways our team could raise money for the fight against cancer. She knew that there would most likely not be a cure for her but she did not want the next generations of friends and family to have to fight the battle she did.

We tried to encourage her to cut back on work – she said she loved her job and that her work helped her through difficult days. Until the last few weeks Kim continued to do the orders and unload the freight truck. Kim took customer service very serious. You would know this if you've ever been with her in public and received bad service. She was quick to help "correct" the problem for the customer. She loved helping people.  Kim said she worked for the best and with great people.  She loved working for Gene.  Gene was very good to Kim and in turn, she did her best for Do It Best.

As we spent time this last few weeks sharing memories with Kim, a name of a friend, neighbor, customer or family member would come up.  Kim would always say… “I love him... or... I love her”.  It became an inside joke because she never forgot to say it.  It got to be where we would start it out…. Here is someone you love, this person just stopped by with dinner… or it might be… this person sent an email.  Her response would be, “I do love them”.  Thank you all for loving her back.

Kim was the best Daughter, Sister, Wife, Mother, Nana, Aunt, Cousin and Friend a person could ask for.  She fought her cancer not only with courage, strength and determination but with Grace and dignity. None of us know how we are going to go on without her but all of us know we will figure it out because that is what Kim would want us to do.