Caregiver of the Year honored

COSHOCTON — Kimberly Wilson, of Warsaw, was named Coshocton County Caregiver of the Year on Friday for her dedication to her grandparents and great-aunts.

The honor came during the 10th Annual Coshocton County Caregiver Appreciation Luncheon at Raven's Glenn.

Wilson was one of three nominees this year. Her aunt, Pamela Adams of Roscoe Village, nominated Wilson for her years of caring for Raymond and Valda Ridenbaugh, Adams' parents, and Vada and Jean Snow, Adams' aunts.

The Ridenbaughs died within two months of each other in 2012. Jean Snow died just three weeks ago after suffering from stage 4 breast cancer. Vada Snow, 91, still lives with Wilson.

"You try to do the best for them as you can," Wilson said after receiving her award Friday. "They can't do a lot for themselves. It's very rewarding. They did a lot for me when I was a kid, took me places.This is just payback."

Wilson has worked as a school bus driver for the River View School District for the past 27 years. She also has a part-time job at Shopwise in Warsaw. She never married, nor did her great-aunts.

"Over the years, she's just been so great with our older relatives," Adams said of her niece. "What made me think of (nominating her) is she's just a caregiver, a wonderful caregiver. She's always been there for our older generation."

For the Ridenbaughs, Wilson moved in with them, took care of cooking, cleaning, finances and doctors' appointments, drove them to family events and "did everything in her power to make them happy," Adams wrote in her nomination.

"She was there when the Lord called my mother away unexpectedly," Adams wrote. "And two months later, she was by my father's side as he took his last breath in the comfort of his own home. Though many would have crumpled with the responsibility, (Wilson) rose to the occasion with courage and gave them dignity in their final years."

After her grandparents died, Wilson began taking care of her great-aunts, initially check on them, driving them as needed, and ensuring they had home-delivered meals. As their health deteriorated, they moved into her home so she could provide daily care, according to Adams.

"She again took on the role of caregiver, even though it was not her responsibility," Adams wrote. "She could have just as easily said 'no,' but that is not the kind of person that Kim is."

The Area Agency on Aging, Region 9, founded the awards 10 years ago, and oversees them still, according to agency Community Education Coordinator Laurel DuBeck. Several local caregiving agencies cosponsor the luncheon.

"This award is not given out to the best caregiver in the universe ever," DuBeck said. "It's just that their stories show what goes on every day."

Friday's luncheon also honored Coshocton County residents and fellow nominees April Kise and Samuel Wyler. Kise's mother suffers from dementia. Wyler's wife suffered from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease before her death.

jwilliams6@gannett.com

740-295-3417

Twitter: @JoeTribune