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Constance
Terry - 17 February 1915 to 30 December 2003
NADP
was very sorry to learn of the death of Connie Terry just after Christmas.
Connie had been a loyal member of NADP almost since its inception and
attended a number of meetings and social events over the years and until
she became too frail to do so. She had lived in London for many years
but moved to a care home in Kettering in March 2003.
Connie loved music especially opera and was a more than competent pianist.
Despite increasing deafness she regularly attended Sadlers Wells Opera
even though hearing aids in those days were rather crude. She was also
well known for her sense of humour and heightened sense of the ridiculous,
which apparently is a family trait! Many people have mentioned that the
ability to laugh at herself and her disabilities was one of her most endearing
qualities.
In accordance with her express wishes Connie's funeral ceremony was non
religious and there were also strict instructions that donations, in lieu
of floral or other tributes, were to be made to NADP as she had been such
a keen supporter.
Her many friends and relatives, some as far away as the USA, have sent
generous donations in her memory. NADP would therefore like to publicly
thank not just those who have made donations but also Connie for thinking
about the Association. She was a lovely person who will be sadly missed.
Rosemary Faith McCall OBE
born 5th February 1919,
died 3rd August 2004, aged 85.
Rosemary McCall was an audiologist, whose pioneering work in the rehabilitation
of deafened people changed the lives of many men and women who had become
profoundly deafened in adulthood.
Rosemary will be remembered mostly for her tireless efforts and dedication
to improve the quality of life of so many men and women whose lives were
afflicted by sudden deafness. She had the insight, vision and determination
to set up a place where deafened people and their families could turn to
for help and advice at the early stages of deafness, which was so desperately
needed at the time. To this end, she founded the LINK Centre for Deafened
People in 1972, which still carries on the work she started so many years
ago.
Rosemary was involved with many organisations related to hearing loss in
various capacities such as Patron, President, life member or honorary member.
She was also the author of several books in the field of deafness, the latest
being titled "Hearing Loss?".
Rosemary's work touched many people's lives both at home and abroad. Her
reputation for her pioneering work stretched outside the UK. In 1992 she
was invited to be the keynote speaker at the 46th Annual National Conference
of Better Hearing Australia in Melbourne. Over the years she received several
awards. In 1993 she was presented with the SeeHear Deaf Impact Award by
Kate Adie, and The Rotary Club of Eastbourne presented her with The Community
Service Award in 1995. However, her greatest honour came in 1998 with an
OBE for her services to deafened people. Although she was suffering from
the effects of Parkinson's Disease, she was thrilled to be able to attend
the ceremony at Buckingham Palace for her investiture.
Rosemary was born in Scotland to an influential Scottish family in 1919.
Her father's death when she was young left a big void in her life, which
had always remained with her. She settled in Eastbourne with her mother
during the 1930s when she was a teenager. She was a very accomplished cello
player and ballet dancer. In later years she became a dancing instructor,
a career she was forced to give up following a leg injury. During World
War II she worked for the government at Blenheim Palace. After the war Rosemary
moved into the field of audiology. Early in her career she recognised the
lack of support for ex-service personnel deafened during the war and elderly
deafened and hard of hearing people. After a day's work Rosemary would visit
local ex-servicemen and elderly deaf people. By 1950 she had set up the
Eastbourne and District Hard of Hearing Association where she continued
to be their President throughout her life. As well as her audiology work
Rosemary taught deaf awareness to nurses all over UK, explaining the communication
needs and frustrations of deafened adults.
She leaves behind her long-term devoted companion, Stan Pearson, BEM. |
