[Greater-Baltimore] Sad News: Lloyd Rasmussen - Obituary and Memorial Service Information

Tue Oct 12 20:47:47 UTC 2021

Hi All,

Please find below the obituary for our brother in the movement Lloyd
Rasmussen along with information about the memorial service this Saturday,
October 16.  Melissa Riccobono is coordinating transportation from the
National Center for anyone interested.  You can contact her directly at
MelissaARiccobono at gmail.com <mailto:MelissaARiccobono at gmail.com>  or at
443-803-0266.

Obituary

Lloyd Gerald Rasmussen January 26, 1947-September 13, 2021 

Lloyd was born in Lohrville, Iowa, a town of approximately 300 people. He
attended the Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School where he learned that
those little magical dots called braille could open a new world to him. He
was an avid reader all his life. 

Lloyd obtained his novice amateur radio license when he was eight years old,
one of the youngest people to do so. He encouraged many others, both blind
and sighted, to obtain their licenses. 

Lloyd attended Iowa State University and graduated with a Bachelor's degree
in Electronics Engineering, one of the first blind people to be awarded a
degree in this field. He used readers, braille graphs and slide rules to
complete his complicated math classes. His first job was with Collins Radio
where he tested instruments to help airplanes navigate in the fog. 

Lloyd moved to Maryland in 1975 to work for the National Library Service for
the Blind and Print Disabled. He helped to design talking book players,
enabling thousands of blind people to read audio books. More recently, he
was working on the design and testing of portable electronic braille reading
devices. These devices allow blind people to download books in braille
formatted files from the Library for the Blind and Print Disabled
collection, as well as newspapers and other documents. He loved his work,
and felt he was making a difference in people's lives, especially for newly
blind people who thought they had lost the pleasure of reading. 

For over 50 years, Lloyd was very active in the National Federation of the
Blind. He held offices both at the state and local level, taught technology
classes, as well as printed thousands of braille pages for seminars,
children's programs, chapel services and conventions. 

Since 1983, Lloyd has been attending Presbyterian Church of the Atonement.
He served terms as both an elder and deacon, sang in the choir, served as a
small group leader, and played conga drums in Alternate Melody, Atonement's
praise and worship team. He loved all of it, and considered his church to be
his extended family. 

Lloyd is survived by his wife, Judy, his brother Paul, of California, his
sister, Janice Brown of Oregon and six nieces and nephews. He loved his Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ, and I know he is now rejoicing with fellow
believers. 

To give God the glory and to celebrate Lloyd's life, services will be held
on Saturday, October 16 at 11:00am at the Presbyterian Church of the
Atonement, 10613 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, Maryland, 20902. The main
entrance to the church is off Plyers Mill, at the back of the church. A
luncheon will be held after the service. The service will also be live
streamed from the church website or Facebook page: www.atonementlife.org
<http://www.atonementlife.org>  or Church of the Atonement, Silver Spring,
MD (Facebook). 

Memorial gifts may either be given to the National Federation of the Blind
of Maryland, or to Presbyterian Church of the Atonement. Church
contributions may be mailed to the church address or given through the
church website (both listed above) and designated to the Lloyd Rasmussen
Memorial. If you have any questions or require more information, you may
email info at atonementlife.org <mailto:info at atonementlife.org> . 

Ronza Othman, President

National Federation of the Blind of Maryland

443-426-4110

Pronouns: she, her, hers

From: president at nfbmd.org <president at nfbmd.org> 
Sent: Monday, September 13, 2021 10:28 PM
To: 'nfb-maryland at nfbnet.org' <nfb-maryland at nfbnet.org>;
'nfb-maryland at nfbnet.org' <nfb-maryland at nfbnet.org>; 'nfbmd at nfbnet.org'
<nfbmd at nfbnet.org>; 'greater-baltimore at nfbnet.org'
<greater-baltimore at nfbnet.org>; 'nfbmdtlc-chapter at nfbnet.org'
<nfbmdtlc-chapter at nfbnet.org>; 'central-md-chapter at nfbnet.org'
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Subject: Sad News: Lloyd Rasmussen

Federation Family,

I am very sorry to share that our brother in the Federation, Lloyd
Rasmussen, passed away early this morning.  Lloyd was a brilliant man,
having been one of the first blind people to become an engineer and work in
his field; he served at the Library of Congress National Library for the
Blind and Print Disabled for nearly 46 years.  He helped develop and
implement dozens of NLS programs.  If you listen to talking books, you have
Lloyd to thank.  If you use BARD, you have Lloyd to thank.  If you have an
NLS Braille display, you have Lloyd to thank.  And these are just a few of
his contributions.

Lloyd was a fierce advocate for Braille, and he worked to make sure others
could access it.  In fact, Lloyd was responsible for creating and formatting
our state convention Braille agendas for literally decades.

Lloyd was an outstanding sound engineer and technology enthusiast.  In fact,
Lloyd has served as the audio engineer for all of the NFB of Maryland
Braille is Beautiful plays.  

Lloyd loved music.  As a member of the Cane Raisers, he wrote or sang many
of the songs that are now our Federation melodies.

Lloyd also was a man of strong faith.  He led the affiliate's Sunday morning
devotionals for many years.

Lloyd was also an amateur radio operator, having begun when he was in third
grade.  His call sign was W3IUU.  

Lloyd previously served as President of the Sligo Creek Chapter in the
1980s.  He has served in many leadership roles since moving to Maryland in
1975.  When he passed, he was the chapter secretary.

Lloyd leaves behind his beloved wife of 40 years, Judy Rasmussen.  

Lloyd's services will take place later this week in Iowa.  There will be a
memorial service at a later date, and we will share information once it is
available.

Please keep Lloyd, Judy, and their friends and family in your thoughts and
prayers.

Ronza Othman, President

National Federation of the Blind of Maryland

443-426-4110

Pronouns: she, her, hers

The National Federation of the Blind of Maryland knows that blindness is not
the characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the
expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles
between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want;
blindness is not what holds you back.