Kim Smith:
CLASS OF 1967
Badin Elementary SchoolClass of 1967
Badin, NC
Pfeiffer CollegeClass of 1979
Misenheimer, NC
North Stanly High SchoolClass of 1975
New london, NC
New London Elementary SchoolClass of 1971
New london, NC
Kim's Story
Gee...I was born...went to school...couldn't wait to graduate...grew up too fast, hanging around my older brother...lost my younger brother to a housefire...went to Pfeiffer...ran out of money...moved to Colorado after hearing about a water pipeline being built, and there were jobs there!!! Gave birth to first daughter in Glenwood Springs Colorado....moved back to NC...and after first son was born...went back to school to work on my accounting degree. That helped me find new jobs, new friends and new opportunities. When I went to work at XEROX/Marathon, I started out as a secretary---but I read EVERYTHING that came in the door. I worked my way up to a sales position and earned the right to handle Ingersoll-Rand, Davidson Co. Community College and PPG. My last title was VPres...and our agency grew and grew and grew. When the corporate world began to change into a dog eat dog world, I took a sabbatical and went to work for El Cardinal Farms (owned by Ernie Irvin of NASCAR) where I lived next to the stables. I had at the most, 12 mares/fillies to take care of. I am most proud of one filly that no one thought would make it---everyone disliked her...but i worked with her, and treated her with kindness for two years until she was ready to go to the trainer. She did not flinch with the first real saddle they placed on her. The trainer was able to hop on board and ride her from his stable to the 'boards'...and she did GREAT!!! She and I traveled to the finals in Atlanta...and she placed in her first event!!! After more changes in my life, I moved back to Badin NC to take care of my paternal grandmother. With care and compassion, grandmother was able to stay at home until she was 100 years old. When she finally had no other choice but to be cared for 24 hours a day, I moved into her apartment. I did try to go back to XEROX sales, but the whole company had changed. Our products were not wholly made in the USA, and customers outlook on our service changed also, as our service teams were now contracted out. Yeah...things change. But we all come back to our roots sooner or later. I could not find a job in Stanly County due to my previous experience and pay. All potential employers stated that I would not stay....but luckily ended up at Spring Lake---and loved it!! I set up their accounting system with billing and payables...got into marketing the...Expand for more
product and tried to improve the working environment and build a team. It worked for a while. I always pre-bought the propane for the winter months growing of poinsettias and annuals for the spring---and it worked---we even saved some money---until the year of Katrina. Our bid for propane went into the company three days before Katrina...and our price was rejected...and the gas company changed hands. Alcoa went down...C & A went down....Snyder went down...and I watched other collegues in similar garden centers/horticulture growers slowly dwindle to nothing. We were forced that year to hold to the original church/wholesale/retail pricing that had been published in early August---and we ended up eating poinsettia salads for the rest of the year. It was certainly regrettable that our business slowly died and we had to finally let people go and shut the retail/wholesale business two years ago. And now I work from home..just to do a little billing and a little payroll...and pray that things will improve in the future. But I met a lot of wonderful people along the way and I learned some great life-lessons (even in the bad times, there is something to be gained and learned)!!! My husband and I have two grandchildren in Florida, one in Australia, one in Albemarle...and probably another one will be born within the next two years near Ft. Geiger! (GO USMC!!!!!) Two sons remain at home---one in nursing, and one at Gray Stone. My best day of all was watching the oldest son parade across the field at Parris Island---one of the last trained in the great tradition of 13 weeks of USMC boot. I feel for the ones who now only receive part of that training. My mom was unable to attend with us for that special day...as she was being treated for cancer and could not travel...but I called her on the phone and we both cried as the USMC band played 'Nothing could be finer...than to live in Carolina...in the morning....' He graduated from boot at Private First Class...not just a Private...and while he was at combined training at 29 Palms, my mom passed away. She did get to see him one time before he made his way to California, and those pictures and memories are precious. The Red Cross flew him home to be at her funeral....and then he was back to training. He has had two tours to Iraq...one to Fallujah and one to Ramadi. Hopefully he will never return to Iraq!!
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