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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>This is sad news for the National Federation of the Blind. Joe served as President of the New jersey affiliate and on our National Board for many years. He will be sorely missed. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Sincerely, <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Camille Tate <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>2<sup>nd</sup> Vice President, National Federation of the Blind of Florida <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>President, Melbourne Space Coast Chapter, National Federation of the Blind of Florida <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Phone: 321 372 4899 <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b>From:</b> Chapter-Presidents <chapter-presidents-bounces@nfbnet.org> <b>On Behalf Of </b>Linda Melendez via Chapter-Presidents<br><b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, May 3, 2022 9:13 AM<br><b>To:</b> NFB of New Jersey Internet Mailing List <nfbnj@nfbnet.org><br><b>Cc:</b> Linda Melendez <president@nfbnj.org>; State Affiliate Leadership List <state-affiliate-leadership-list@nfbnet.org>; NFB Chapter Presidents discussion list <chapter-presidents@nfbnet.org><br><b>Subject:</b> [Chapter-Presidents] The news we have been anticipating<o:p></o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif'>Joe Ruffalo, who served us as president for 27 years, died quietly<br>early this morning following a multi-year battle with Metastatic<br>Bladder cancer related to Agent Orange exposure during the Vietnam<br>War. Joe had been in hospice care and passed away in the Bloomfield<br>house where he grew up. Family members and friends were there to<br>comfort him.</span><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif'>Joe had shared his journey with us and we send our condolences to<br>Joe's wife, Judy, and their sons Jim and Joey and their wives as well<br>as sister Jane Degenshein, also a leader in our National Federation<br>of the Blind community and her husband Larry as well as other<br>relatives and friends.<br><br>Funeral arrangements are being finalized and I will share them when<br>complete. In the meantime, those who wish to honor Joe's memory may donate to the NFBNJ, the organization he said changed his life and<br>which he shared fso generously with us for so many years.</span><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>