Kimberley Elizabeth (Sherman) Grove

With the passing of Canadian writer, Kimberley Elizabeth Grove, we stand to honour her life and achievements. The list of family and friends that will miss her is far too long to list here. Suffice it to say that she was a beloved wife, sister, aunt, grandmother and friend to so many.

Though family was always a priority, Kim was not afraid to leave home for short periods to explore the world and other cultures. One of her first adventures was jumping on a train with a friend to cross Canada for a summer job at the Banff School of Fine Arts between high school and University. Taking a third university year abroad from her studies at U. of T. meant hopping on a Russian ship from New York to Southampton England to spend a year at St. Andrews University in Scotland.  Later she took a year to teach English to Spanish students in Barcelona. She lived in Boston and Chicago working at the Christian Science Monitor and later at an architecture firm. All of these world adventures were followed by travelling with her husband Richard (Tai) to Germany, England, France, New Zealand, China, USA and Cuba (Cuba over 25 times.) over their 31 years of marriage.

She always made long lasting new friendships from around the world but always came home to spend time with family and friends in between these adventures. She was a true friend to all who had the privilege of knowing her whether briefly or over decades.

Kim loved nature, and in many ways, it inspired her writing. For almost ten years she and her husband owned two cabins in the middle of twenty-six acres of forest north of Barrie, Ontario. They sold that land and their Toronto condo and bought a house in Presqu’ile Provincial Park, where they lived for over twenty years. Surrounded by lake, forest, and wildlife, they ran a B&B. Kim, being such a generous and caring host quickly earned a “Best Host” designation from Airbnb.

Some might not know that Kim was a published author with a well-rounded writing career. She had a passion for writing from an early age, once stating, “I’ve been writing since the first time I picked up a pencil.” Her enchantment with Cuba was deeply connected to her love of poetry, as she and her husband visited the island almost thirty times. Kim’s work was published in The Globe and Mail, The Christian Science Monitor, The Toronto Star, as well as various smaller newspapers. She also worked as a reporter for the Community Press and The Shield, and was a regular contributor to Watershed Magazine and Devour: Art & Lit Canada.

Her latest book entitled, Stories Inked, was a commissioned manuscript for ORT Toronto. She was editor for the Canada Cuba Literary Alliance member anthology, Sí Cuba and was the substantive editor for a number of memoirs for individual authors including: The Joy of Music, and Brothers Don’t Fight.

Her stories and poems have been published in numerous international anthologies, including, Hola Cuba, A Time of Trial, and Grandmother, Mother and Me.

Kim was the workshop leader for the Canadian Poetry Association, poetry and micro prose workshop and book publishing project entitled, The Road Between The Years. She was also the editor, teacher, coordinator for the Brighton, Ontario library children’s writing initiative entitled “The Family Flight”.

Kim has been interviewed on radio and has written and performed eight radio commercials for the Grafton Village Inn.
She taught writing at Loyalist College, the Trenton Air Force Base, the Colborne Community Care Centre and Ciego de Avila University in Cuba. Her teaching came from a love of reading what others have to share. She was also included in many anthologies published by Hidden Brook Press and SandCrab Books.

Aside from Kim’s memorable writing career it is equally important to mention that she was an active member of her church, First Church of Christ, Scientist, Toronto. Over her many decades of commitment she generously served on many committees including, the Distribution Committee, the Lecture Committee, the Benevolence Committee, the Usher Committee and at the church Reading Room. She served as the Church Manager for 13 years and also served on the Board of Directors. She was elected as First Reader for a three year term. Her long commitment to church was evident when she was appointed to be the Ontario Manager of the “Committee on Publication” reporting to the Mother Church in Boston.

“We were all deeply saddened to hear of Kim’s passing. In thinking about her time with us, we are so grateful for all she did for this church—for her loyal membership, her inspiring testimonies, her faithful service in so many capacities—and, more than anything else, for her warm smile and uncountable acts of kindness.”

May these heartfelt words pay homage to a generous, patient, smiling, beloved woman who lit up everyone´s life with her presence.

Editor
Prof. Miguel Ángel Olivé Iglesias. MSc

About the Editor
Miguel Ángel Olivé Iglesias

Miguel Ángel Olivé Iglesias, MSc, born in 1965 in Bayamo, Cuba, graduated from the former Teacher Training College of Holguín. Associate Professor of Holguín University. He has a Master´s degree in Pedagogical Sciences.

He is the Cuban VP of the CCLA – Canada Caribbean Literary Alliance. He is a member of the Mexican Association of Language and Literature Professors, VP of the William Shakespeare Studies Center and member of the Canadian Studies Department of the Holguín University in Cuba.

He is a poet, writer, essayist, editor, translator and proofreader. He has published more than a dozen books including poetry and essays on CanLit. He publishes both academic and literary criticism papers and books, focused on the teaching of English as a foreign language and the analysis of Canadian literature, especially poetry.

He works in the Teacher Education English Department as a professor of English, English Stylistics and grad courses. He is also Head of the English Language Discipline. He uses his academic papers, essays, stories and poems in class for reading, debating and practicing the language, adding a didactic and formative element to his scientific and literary production. He also does poetry reading in co-curricular on-campus and community activities.