[Nfb-announce] Fwd: Obituary of Frank Kurt Cylke

[David Andrews]

>  > Subject: Obituary of Frank Kurt Cylke > >> 
> Sent: Friday, April 19, 2019 12:12 PM >



>Subject:  Obituary of Frank Kurt Cylke >> >>



>Obituary of Frank Kurt Cylke Sr. >> >> Kurt 
>Cylke died on Thursday, April 17, 2019. He was 
>born in New Haven, >> Connecticut on February 
>13, 1932 to his dear parents, Helen and Frank >> 
>Cylke. He >> >> loved his family. And he was 
>proud to have been a “librarian”. >> >> Kurt 
>defined his professional career as a mission - 
>to open the worlds >> of knowledge, learning and 
>scholarship to the young, the old, the >> rich, 
>the poor, >> >> the well-educated and the poorly 
>educated. He lived out this mission >> at school 
>and university libraries in Palm Beach and New 
>Haven; at >> city public libraries >> >> in 
>Bridgeport, New Haven and Providence; as a 
>volunteer at the county >> library in Great 
>Falls; through gifts of his treasured book >> 
>collections - Arthur >> >> Ransome to Georgetown 
>University and Moby Dick to Mystic Marine >> 
>Museum; at United States government libraries, 
>as chair of the Federal >> Library 
>Committee; >> >> and, most distinctively, in his 
>38 year tenure as Director of the >> National 
>Library Service for the Blind and Physically 
>Handicapped, >> Library of Congress. >> >> A 
>career captured by an overriding idea. He 
>believed libraries should >> be available and 
>open to everyone, without distinction. >> >> 
>Kurt’s career commitment to librarianship is 
>reflected by the Joseph >> W. Lippincott Award, 
>given to him by the American Library 
>Association >> for a lifetime >> >> of 
>distinguished service. >> >> In retirement, Kurt 
>continued his lifelong love of books and 
>reading. >> His preferences were long and 
>varied. He also continued to treasure >> Great 
>Falls, >> >> as a volunteer at the National Park 
>and as an avid bird watcher with >> early 
>morning groups. Kurt also was a member of the 
>Knights of >> Columbus and member >> >> in good 
>standing of the Crow’s Nest Officer Club, 
>Saint John’s >> Newfoundland. But none of 
>these activities matched the enthusiasm and >> 
>energy that he devoted >> >> to the Apostleship 
>of the Sea with weekly visits to the seafarers 
>at >> the Port of Baltimore. >> >> Kurt’s 
>beloved family was the most meaningful 
>consideration in his own >> understanding of 
>life and legacy. His wife Mary, son Kurt Jr. 
>(Anna), >> daughters >> >> Amanda (Jeff) and 
>Virginia (Mark), grandsons Michael, 
>Callaghan, >> Thomas, granddaughters Molly and 
>Harper, and his brother Owen (Nancy). >> And it 
>is probably >> >> safe to say that each of them, 
>and countless other colleagues, friends >> and 
>volunteers, will continue to recall 
>“Poppy’s” lifelong association >> with 
>books, >> >> boats and birds. Those who knew 
>Kurt will remember his advice, taken >> from 
>Arthur Ransome, “Grab a chance and don’t be 
>sorry for a might >> have been. “ >> >> He did 
>much to benefit people who are blind through his 
>leadership of >> NLS for 38 years. May he rest in peace!




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