It was in April of 1968 that the King James Care Center was opened, built by Kingdon Westerlind and James R. Snyder…hence the King James name.
Herman J. Black, better known as Duke Black, of Conners Hotel fame in Highlands, was named the first administrator and the care center was immediately an important part of the Bayshore community.
Many of the aides, nurses and other staff were sons, daughters, cousins, in-laws, neighbors or friends of many of the residents and so a family situation has been present from the onset of the care center.
As a gift to Duke in his new position as administrator, I drafted the following poem and had it framed. Duke kept this on the wall of his office throughout his tenure, until he retired as administrator, always ensuring the family atmosphere of the nursing home remained intact.
Today, the Care Center is now part of the Care One corporation that owns and operates nursing homes throughout New Jersey and beyond.
It still remains the family atmosphere, with many of the employees and staff members still related or neighbors and friends of residents. Its current administrator, Jimmie King, is a local professional who started his career in the health field as a nurses aide at the former Atlantic Highlands Nursing Home in Middletown, where Helen Marchetti, former Atlantic Highlands Mayor and Atlantic Highlands native, was the administrator. Jimmie profited from the lessons he learned as an aide under Mayor Marchetti, and went on to further education to become a nurse and now a nursing home administrator.
The family atmosphere remains. The plaque with the poem is off the wall, but staff at King James continues to follow the adage and listens to the words of its residents.
PLEASE, BEFORE
Before you find fault with my hesitant step,
Or make fun of my rambling tongue;
Before you criticize my every word
Remember please, I once was young.
That step which now is so unsteady
That tongue which sometimes babbles on
Both have served long and faithfully well
In wonderful days now long since gone.
These feet took me over many roads
Some happy, exciting, lovely and gay.
They trod over troubled miles, too,
Before resting here with me today.
These eyes have helped me see some sights
The memories of which I will never forget
They have guided me through many years
And seen views you have not experienced yet.
These ears have listened attentively
And kept me alert to what is going on.
They are not as sharp as they once had been
Remember, they served me well in days now gone.
And these hands, through frail, they look right now
Were not always in this condition
They have rocked cradles labored long, lovingly cuddled a child
And have been folded in prayerful petition.
And so, please before you criticize
Think of the things that this body has done best
And then perhaps you will agree with me
That no one better deserves this rest
