[Nfbj] Fwd: Paul Kay dies at age 71, (Paul Edward Knisbacher Kay)

[David Andrews]

>
>----------
>From: LPovinelli at aol.com [mailto:LPovinelli at aol.com]
>Sent: Saturday, January 10, 2009 6:14 PM
>To: undisclosed-recipients
>Subject: Paul Edward Knisbacher Kay Dies at age 71
>
>Paul Edward Knisbacher Kay Dies at age 71
>
>By Harold Snider and Larry Povinelli
>
>
>
>We report with great sorrow the untimely death of Paul Kay, attorney 
>and a longtime leader in the National Federation of the Blind, after 
>a protracted illness. Paul died on Wednesday, January 7, 2009. We 
>would like to recall Paul's life and achievements.
>
>
>
>Paul Edward Knisbacher was born on February 22, 1937 in Vienna, Austria.
>
>Paul's early life was traumatic. His family fled from the Nazi 
>takeover of Austria in November, 1938. First they fled to Belgium 
>for about a year. When the Nazis invaded Belgium in 1939, they again 
>fled to England. The young family survived the Blitz in London and 
>after eighteen months in England immigrated to the United States in 
>early 1941. On arrival, Paul's father changed the family name from 
>Knisbacher to Kay.  He thought that the family would flourish with 
>more Anglicized names.  In 1981, Paul had the opportunity to revisit 
>his family home in Vienna, Austria. He was able to meet his old 
>nanny and the reunion was both happy and tearful.
>
>
>
>Paul grew up in the Riverdale section of the Bronx in New York City. 
> From the age of 10 Paul began to loose his sight.  In high school 
>he was diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa, which led to Paul's 
>blindness.  Paul also had severe hearing loss later in life.  Paul 
>graduated from Taft High School in 1956 and then attended The 
>College of Insurance in Brooklyn NY where he obtained a Bachelor's 
>Degree in Business Administration in 1961.
>
>
>
>In the 1960s, Paul worked as an independent insurance broker in New 
>York City. He also obtained training and was licensed as a Masseur. 
>But neither career truly satisfied Paul's ambitions. With 
>encouragement from his family and members of the National Federation 
>of the Blind, Paul entered law school at New York University in 
>September, 1971.  Paul first joined the National Federation of the 
>Blind in the summer of 1968 in New York City.  He attended his first 
>National Convention in Columbia, South Carolina in 1969.  Paul 
>joined the student division in 1971, where he served as Vice 
>President and later the National Association of Blind Lawyers, where 
>he was an active member for 33 years.  The federation truly changed 
>his life. Paul loved dogs and had five guide dogs during his life.
>
>
>
>On graduating from law school in 1974, Paul moved to Washington DC 
>to accept a position as Staff Attorney with the U.S. Maritime 
>Administration, an agency of the Department of Commerce. He was 
>employed by the government for eleven years, leaving to enter 
>private law practice in 1985 where he began practicing Criminal Law 
>in the DC Superior Court and the U.S. District Court for the 
>District of Columbia.  In 1993, Paul and Larry Povinelli became law 
>partners and created a professional corporation.  The corporation 
>expanded its practice to include numerous areas of the law. Paul and 
>Larry practiced law together until his death.
>
>
>
>On Paul's arrival to Washington in 1974, he immediately became part 
>of the leadership of the newly reorganized NFB of DC. He remained an 
>active leader, board member and officer for the remainder of his 
>life. Paul served as President of the DC affiliate from 1978 to 
>1980, distinguishing himself for his advocacy and leadership in 
>educating the DC City Council about blindness. Paul was also 
>actively involved in the Sligo Creek Chapter of the NFB of Maryland 
>and the Potomac Chapter of the NFB of Virginia.
>
>
>
>Although Paul lived in Washington for thirty-five years, you could 
>never mistake him for anything other than an extreme New York Yankee 
>fan.  In 2007, on the occasion of his seventieth birthday close 
>friends of Paul gave him a great surprise, a return visit to his old 
>home in the Bronx and a game at Yankee Stadium where he was able to 
>cheer for his beloved New York Yankees.
>
>
>
>Paul loved his baseball as he loved life.  Nothing stopped him from 
>succeeding at whatever he wanted to do.  If you took the time to get 
>to know Paul, you would have come to know a great friend, who had a 
>heart of gold.  He will dearly be missed by his family and friends.
>
>
>
>A memorial service will be held at 10 AM on Sunday, January 10, 2009 
>at Louis Suburban Chapel in Fair Lawn, New Jersey.  Paul will be 
>buried next to his mother and father.
>
>.
>
>Paul is survived by his sister, Elizabeth Kay Goldstein.
>