The Jernigan Family Remembers
The Jernigan Family
Remembers
From the Editor: During the memorial service
Dr. Jernigan's wife Mary Ellen, his brother Lloyd, and his daughter Marie each spoke of
the man they had known and loved:
Kenneth and Mary Ellen Jernigan
Mary Ellen Jernigan
In the months, the weeks, the days before his
death, Dr. Jernigan and I talked of many things—one of which was that this gathering
which has brought us together today would soon occur and that this time it would be I not
My Brother, My Friend
Lloyd Jernigan confers with Dr. Jernigan
at the head table.
My Brother, My Friend
by Lloyd Jernigan
From the Editor: Lloyd Jernigan was Dr.
Jernigan's older brother. This is what he said at the memorial service:
First, I want to read two paragraphs from a
letter that I received from Dr. Abraham Nemeth and his wife Edna. I received the letter
shortly after returning home from Kenneth's funeral, and I appreciate his kind words about
The Early Years
Dr. Jernigan and daughter Marie
Marie Antoinette Cobb
I consider most of the people in this
room—and I say "most" because I'm not sure I know all of you—I
consider most of the people in this room to be family. In the Federation we are a family,
and we greatly treasure and value that. And because we are family, I want to share with
you some things that I will always remember about my father that are really special to me.
The Early Years
Dr. tenBroek (left) and Dr. Jernigan examine blueprints in 1961.
The Early Years
Federation Leader
Appointed Director of Iowa Commission for the Blind
by Jacobus tenBroek
From the Editor: Instructive as it may be
to compile the
recollections and assessments of a man's life at its close, it is
also useful to look back to discover what his mentor and
colleagues thought of his accomplishments and abilities early in
his career. It is salutary and humbling to consider what might
Profile of a Trailblazer
Tony Mannino
Profile of a Trailblazer
by Anthony Mannino
From the Editor: Tony Mannino, as he was
known to his friends, was executive secretary of the American Brotherhood for the Blind in
the 1960's. In February of 1963 he wrote a sparkling profile of Kenneth Jernigan in the
Blind American, the temporary successor to the Braille Monitor. It provides interesting
detail about Dr. Jernigan's early life. Here it is:
Late in 1962, at the Iowa state budget hearings
Congressman Robert Ehrlich,Jr.
Congressman Robert Ehrlich and
Dr. Jernigan
Congressional Record, Wednesday, October
21, 1998
Extensions of Remarks Section
Tribute by Hon. Robert Ehrlich, Jr., Republican
of Maryland
Honoring the Memory of Dr. Kenneth Jernigan,
President Emeritus
of the National Federation of the Blind [page E-2268, 43 lines]
in the House of Representatives
Tuesday, October 20, 1998
MR. EHRLICH: Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay my
Congressman Elijah Cummings
Dr. Jernigan shakes hands with
Congressman Elijah Cummings.
Elijah Cummings
Member of Congress
From the Editor: Congressman Cummings
delivered the following remarks at the memorial service:
I welcome this opportunity to join Mary Ellen
Jernigan and all of you as we remember and honor the life of a remarkable man. To Mrs.
Jernigan, to Kenneth Jernigan's daughter Marie, to his brother Lloyd, I have stopped by
Suzanne Mitchell
Public Officials Assess
the Man
Suzanne Mitchell
From the Editor: Suzanne Mitchell is a
long-time Federationist and the director of the state agency serving blind people in
Louisiana. This month she begins serving a term as President of the National Council of
State Agencies for the Blind (NCSAB), the professional organization of state agency
directors in the blindness field.
In April of 1998 the National Council of State
Frank Kurt Cylke
Dr. Jernigan and Frank Kurt Cylke
Frank Kurt Cylke
From the Editor: Frank Kurt Cylke is the
Director of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped of the
Library of Congress. These are the remarks he delivered at the memorial service:
Kenneth Jernigan
God saw you were getting tired,
And a cure was not to be,
So he put his arms around you
And whispered, "Come to me."
With tearful eyes we watched you,
And saw you pass away.
Will Always Be With Us
Pedro Zurita shows Dr. Jernigan a model of the
Louis Braille museum.
Dr. Jernigan Will Always
Be With Us
by Pedro Zurita
From the Editor: Pedro Zurita is
Secretary General of the World Blind Union.
Although in a sense Dr. Jernigan left us last
October 12, from that day on his memory will be perennially cherished by many blind people
all over the world.
Personally I had a very special relationship with