More than 30 years ago, Agnes Boyd wanted her son, Dale, who was born mentally retarded, to be able to function as independently as possible but still have some structure in his life.

At the time, no homes or facilities were available to help Dale. So Mrs. Boyd and her husband, Carl, opened Boyd's Kinsman Home in 1971 for mildly to severely mentally retarded adults.

"They wanted Dale to be as independent as he can but still have the security," said Mrs. Boyd's daughter, Carlene Boyd Jones. "They had this property, they had the desire to do this. They basically created it and designed it by their dream."

Mrs. Boyd was recently honored with the Brotherhood Award by the B'Nai B'Rith Lodge 339 of the Knights of Columbus and the Free and Accepted Masons for her founding of and work at the home.

"There was a need," Mrs. Boyd said. "We just met it."

Now 84, Mrs. Boyd still lives on the premises in her own apartment and serves as housemother to the 45 residents, who call her "Mom."

"They think of her as Mom. They think of each other as brothers and sisters," said Mrs. Jones, who helps her mother run the home.

Mrs. Boyd said her daughter takes after her husband, who designed the home. He died in 1981.

"He was the mind," she said.

In 31 years of existence, the Boyds never had to advertise the home. It is always full to capacity and has a waiting list.

"It's all word of mouth for residents and families," Mrs. Jones said. "When there is an opening, there's always someone who wants to take it."

Some of the home's residents have been there since it opened, including Dale.

The youngest residents are in their late 20s; the oldest, their early 70s, Mrs. Jones said.

"We have more all the time whose parents have passed away," Mrs. Boyd said. "Some of them have lost their parents since they've been here."

"Many residents have been here the entire time, so it truly is their home," Mrs. Jones said. "We've had deaths, we've had transfers to nursing homes. But overall, they come and this is their home."

Most of the time, Mrs. Jones said, admission to the home is more traumatic for the families than it is for the residents.

During the day, the residents work in some type of workshop setting, doing subcontract work for local factories. They also have chores to do at mealtime.

Free time is spent taking bowling trips to Cortland Lanes once a week, going to the movies once a month and attending concerts at Packard Music Hall in Warren. They also attend church, if they choose, and participate in whatever is going on in the community.

"They are accepted in the community," Mrs. Jones said.

The residents are all from Trumbull County, except one who is from Pennsylvania. Mrs. Jones said they like to keep it that way so distance won't be a factor and families can visit. Mrs. Jones said that one of the most common misconceptions about homes like Boyd's is that they are created to "get rid of" a mentally retarded family member.

"Philosophically, to allow them to come to a place to live with their peers, it gives their families a lot of peace," she said. "It allows them to live here, but they're still part of their families. It allows them to function here where they can be accepted."