Although Pam Kunert says she is “of retirement age,” she has no plans to stop working anytime soon. For the past 10 years, she has worked at Traditions of Preston, an assisted living facility with a capacity of 26 residents.
Regarding her time at Traditions, Pam explains, “I was the nurse here for eight years, and then I became the housing director and the nurse for two years. And now I’ve stepped down from the nursing, and I’m just the director… We have a new RN in the building, and she’s doing wonderful.”
In describing how she got into nursing, Pam said she grew up in Spring Valley, and she explained that in her teenage years, her grandfather suffered a stroke, and that convinced her to become a nurse. She began as a CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) at the age of 15. Then, as an adult, “I worked at the Spring Valley hospital until I had my daughter, then I took off five years.” Following that, she says, “I returned to the nursing home, and became the DON (Director of Nursing) at the hospital for 21 years. Then I transitioned to Traditions in Preston and Harmony.”
Besides working 40-plus hours per week at Traditions, Pam is also the mayor of her hometown, Ostrander. She served as a city council member for 16 years, and became mayor two years ago. When asked about her busy schedule, Pam answered with a smile, “Yeah, my husband says I’m never home.” She explained that due to an eye condition that has affected her for nearly two years, her husband now drives her wherever she needs to go, including to her job five days a week in Preston, and to all city meetings as Mayor. “He’s a wonderful man,” Pam adds. When Pam isn’t working, she says, “My biggest other iron in the fire is attending grandchildren’s sporting events.” She has a total of 22 grandkids, three of which are in local sports.
Pam said since she became mayor, her approach has been that “I’m not up there to be a dictator.” She feels it’s important to let the city council deal with issues as they see fit. Pam and her husband have lived in Ostrander since 1983, so she says she knows the community and the people well. She says she always strives to actively listen to citizens, even if she cannot always do what they are requesting.
Speaking about her years in nursing and city government, the common theme Pam talks about is caring. “I like helping people,” she says. Whether that means listening to a citizen speak about a problem or concern, or assisting a resident to live as independently as possible in their senior years, Pam truly enjoys her work.
Pam said she enjoys laughing and teasing with the residents at Traditions, and she tells of a favorite story. In 2018, she says, “The residents wanted to have happy hour, so I went down to Preston Liquor, and that was right after I had eye surgery, so my perception was off. I missed a step, and fell, and bruised my whole face… And my residents will never let me forget that I fell at the liquor store. They kind of tease me about that.” Her affection for the residents is obvious, as Pam states, “The reason I’m still working here is because I love the residents. I really love them, and I just can’t give it up.”
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