[Nfbf-l] FW: [Gduf-l] Sad news

Sat Apr 9 03:11:45 UTC 2011

Dear NFBF Friends, 
I am absolutely stunned to tell you that our dear and treasured friend, Rita
Princivalli passed away as the result of cancer. I am simply stunned by this
news as I didn't even know Rita was ill. 

I tried to reach her several times to no avail and Allen Bornstein tried to
connect with her too. What a complete and utter shock!! 

For those of you who did not know Rita well, you may remember that she is
the terrific and giving woman who put on the "What's New and Cool for the
Blind" seminar at state convention. 

Please read on to see what Debbie Grubb, has to say about Rita. Bless her
dear and giving heart! 
Often Rita told people that the reason she became a puppy raiser was because
when she worked for the Center for the Visually Impaired here in Daytona
Beach, Rita simply fell in love with my first Seeing Eye dog, Dorsey. It was
also because of a dear friend's guide dog named Heidi. 

I will miss her and so regret that I had no idea that she was battling
cancer. God bless her giving heart and her love for blind people and their
guide dogs. 

Kathy

  _____  

From: Patricia A. Lipovsky [mailto:plipovsky at cfl.rr.com] 
Sent: Friday, April 08, 2011 7:26 PM
To: Kathy Davis
Subject: Fw: [Gduf-l] Sad news

Hi Kathy.

I didn't know if you had heard or not so I thought I would forward this to
you.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Debbie Grubb <mailto:debbiecg at verizon.net>  
To: Guide Dog Users of Florida <mailto:gduf-l at emissives.com>  
Sent: Friday, April 08, 2011 12:28 PM
Subject: [Gduf-l] Sad news

Because Rita Princivalli touched the lives of so many guide dog users, I am
sharing the message with you that I just sent to the Southeastern Guide Dog
Users e-mail list.

hello Freedom Family,

I am saddened to post the news of the passing of our beloved friend, Rita
Princivalli.  Today, Rita lost the valiant battle that she had been waging
against cancer.  Rita's was the first voice that many of us heard as we
arranged for our first or return visit to Southeastern Guide Dogs.  Rita's
presence during class brought each student respite from the stress of guide
dog school and a touch of longing for home, important knowledge about caring
for our dogs, vital information about the Americans with Disabilities Act ,
our access rights and responsibilities, and opportunities for enjoyable
activities on and off campus.  Having had the opportunity to spend time with
Rita and her friend, David, I know beyond a doubt that the affection and
respect that all of us felt for Rita was returned in abundance.

Rita's daughter is about to give birth to her second child.  When she is
able to travel, there will be a memorial service for our dear friend, Rita,
at Southeastern Guide Dogs.  Information about that service and Rita's
wishes for her remembrance will be sent to this list as soon as it is
available.  

Please feel free to send this message to your friends who knew Rita and
were, like all of us, the beneficiaries of her friendship, expertise,
commitment to the guide dog movement and overwhelming kindness.  

I will close this note with two personal experiences i had with our friend,
Rita.  When my husband, Frela, was fighting his own personal battle with
cancer, Rita's friend, David, at Rita's request, was one of the wonderful
volunteers who drove Frela and me to Moffitt.  David and Frela became good
friends and being with him brought Frela much comfort.  Many times, David
used Rita's car for this purpose.  Soon after Frela's death, although Rita
was herself fighting cancer, she and David took me out to dinner and we
spent a delightful afternoon together.  At that dinner, Rita gave me a
beautiful memory that I will cherish always.  During the previous
Thankstgiving, when it was David's turn to give thanks, he gave thanks for
the opportunity of knowing my husband.  I will always carry the memory in my
heart of Rita's voice as she shared that precious private family moment with
me.  

When I, as event coordinator for Top Dog 2011, asked Rita to bring us her
excellent canine first aid program, she said "yes" without hesitation.  When
her family asked her what she wanted for Christmas last year, she asked them
for funds that she added to those generously provided by Southeastern Guide
Dogs to purchase the first aid kits that we who attended Top Dog 2011
received.  By January of this year, Rita was gravely ill.  David and her
family were anxious to get her to Chicago where her family lived and where
it was hoped she could receive more expert medical attention.  Rita refused
to go until after Top Dog.  She said that Top Dog 2011 would probably be the
last guide dog event that she would attend and participate in and she wanted
to give all of us this last gift.  Rita came to us riding a scooter and
brought to us her excellent canine first aid presentation and her terribly
compelling and amusing anecdotes as a puppy raiser during the puppy raiser
panel.  Rita remained with us for the entirety of the conference and
although she must have been exhausted, she and David gave a Southeastern
student a ride to the school from orlando.  That's just who Rita was.  

There are no words to describe how much Rita will be missed by all of us who
work a Southeastern guide dog and by the many other guide dog handlers who
were touched by Rita's warmth, kindness and generous heart when they met her
during various conferences at which she represented our school.

Please remember Rita's friend, David and her daughter in your thoughts and
prayers.  

Until we remember Rita's life formally, I know that each of us will remember
her privately in our own way.  

Respectfully,

Debbie Grubb
debbiecg at verizon.net

  _____  

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  _____  

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