[NFBMT] Obituary of Frank Kurt Cylke

[BRUCE&JOY BRESLAUER]

----Original Message-----
Sent: Friday, April 19, 2019 12:12 PM
Subject:  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 a
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!

Joy Breslauer, First Vice President
National Federation of the Blind of Montana
Web Site: http://www.nfbofmt.org

Live the life you want

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who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation's blind. Every day we work
together to help blind people live the lives they want.