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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><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>The state of Connecticut sends its condolences to Joe’s family. Both at home and in the National Federation of the Blind. It was an honor to have met such a dynamic man and to have had the chance to speak with his sister last week. God bless you all.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Best Regards,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Maryanne Melley<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>President<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>National Federation of the Blind of Connecticut<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>860-212-5549<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>maryanne.melley@gmail.com<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Together with love, hope, and determination, we transform dreams into reality<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b>From:</b> State-Affiliate-Leadership-List <state-affiliate-leadership-list-bounces@nfbnet.org> <b>On Behalf Of </b>Linda Melendez via State-Affiliate-Leadership-List<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> [State-Affiliate-Leadership-List] 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>