June 20, 1934 - June 11, 2007
Edna Shipley-Conner was a pioneer in support services for late deafened adults. She carried a sparkle of hope in her eyes and ignited that spark in the hearts of all she met. She was a bright star in a darkened sky for people who were losing their hearing and the first glimmer of hope for ALDAcon newcomers for many years.
Edna was served as President - Elect, President, and Past President of ALDA from 2001-2003. She was recipient of ALDA's highest honor, the I. King Jordan award in 2004 (?)
She served as Regional Director of Region IV until her death on Jun 10, 2007. When she ran in the last election, while still fighting breast cancer she said it was her affirmation that her life's work was not finished yet. She was founder, member and board member or ALDA East Bay, and supported the beginnings of ALDA San Jose.
When her hearing loss became so severe that she could not longer teach in a classroom Edna went to work for DCARA, first as a grant writer. Later she would create the first program for late deafened adults and direct that program for 15 years. She was a strong advocate and teacher of late deafened people locally and nationally. She taught many workshops on coping skills, sign language and self advocacy. She is probably most well known in ALDA for starting the Newcomer program at ALDAcon.
Edna has a gift for seeing things in people that we could not see in ourselves and then helping us to discover our own gifts. There are more than a handful of ALDA members that she mentored into our careers in advocacy, in addition to the many she touched as an ALDA leader and initiator of the ALDAcon newcomer program.
The spark of hope that she has lighted in so many of us is now a galaxy of stars that continues to serve as a guiding light as new people find their way to ALDA and the love and support that kept Edna going to the next part of her journey. Her life and her death are a true example of ALDA family.
