Todd: Owner Kirchhoff’s Bakery and Deli
Heather: McKinney-Vento Liaison and Foster Care Point of Contact for Paducah Public Schools
Lane: 20 years old – Cookie decorator at Kirchhoff’s and enrolled in nail tech school
Potter: 14 years old – MCHS freshman and bass drummer for marching band
Tell us how you and your spouse met and how long you have been married.
Married for 25 years and we met at Murray State University. We had an accidental first date. We were going to a movie with friends and they ditched, so it was just the two of us.
Tell us about where each of you grew up and how you landed in the region.
Todd grew up in Paducah. I grew up in Elkton, Kentucky, and I married into being a Paducahan. We lived in Paris, Kentucky, and we wanted to be closer to family. We’ve lived in Paducah for 15 years.
What is your favorite holiday?
Halloween! Todd says Flag Day because that’s the day we got married.
What is your favorite thing about the region?
We recently moved downtown. It’s wonderful to see our friends out and about in the downtown area. We love seeing this area grow and become livelier.
How do you spend your summer breaks?
We don’t get summer breaks. This summer, Todd and I are going to Austria to celebrate our anniversary. Potter will spend his summer participating in band camp!
What does your spouse do to make you feel special?
He wakes me up every morning after he has already been in the bakery for four hours – usually with fresh coffee. Todd said I make him feel special by keeping him supplied with diet cola. I interpret that as, “Thanks for taking care of me, honey.”
How do you manage work and family time?
It’s not easy! Todd and Lane work together and we live upstairs from their work. Todd is a business owner, meaning he is rarely off work. Lane works and goes to school. I work for the school district with under resourced students-that means evening work and weekend work which I’m happy to do. Potter is in marching band and that consumes a lot of time for him. We have to work hard to make family time a priority. We are extremely proud of our work and we are fulfilled by it.
What are the core values of your family?
Work hard, be generous, be kind. Be a good human. Make mistakes and learn from them.
Do you have any family traditions?
Halloween is a big deal for us. It’s a whimsical holiday with spooky decorations and candy. Summertime is usually canning green beans and tomatoes, as well as freezing corn with the grandmas.
What brings you the greatest joy as a parent?
The greatest joy as a parent is seeing your children become individuals. You wonder what they will be like when they are tiny and you get to help them discover who they are as they mature. We are also growing with them. They help us be better versions of ourselves daily.
Tell us something interesting about your family that we may not know.
We bought into Kirchhoff’s right before COVID-19. It’s been a wild ride and we are glad to be a part of the Kirchhoff’s family to continue their legacy.
Questions for kids: What’s your favorite thing to do as a family?
We like to go see music concerts and play arcade games. We also love to go out to eat so we don’t have to cook!
