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--></style></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>From Tracy Soforenko, President, National Federation of the Blind of Virginia<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I am saddened to share the passing of Ken Jessup on August 10. Ken was a founding member and the first President of the NFBV Chesapeake Bay Chapter and a long time advocate for blind people in Virginia. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Ken actively sought opportunities to advocate for services for blind people in Virginia in the Virginia General Assembly. For example, Ken was instrumental in securing funding in support of Virginia Voice. Ken served as chair of the Virginia Board for the Blind which generously provided funding for our NFBV Silver Bells program and our various NFBV BELL Academy programs in Virginia.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Additionally, Ken was bright, warm and fun and I will personally miss Ken.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>His OBITUARY is pasted below and can also be found at<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://neptunesociety.com/obituaries/virginia-beach-va/kenneth-jessup-10562310">https://neptunesociety.com/obituaries/virginia-beach-va/kenneth-jessup-10562310</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Kenneth "Ken" W. Jessup<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>March 25, 1948 – August 10, 2026<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Kenneth “Ken” Jessup, 78, of Virginia Beach Virginia, passed away on August 10th, 2026 after a long and passionate life full of adventure and advocacy. He was born in Greensboro, North Carolina raised by parents, Robert and Lillian Jessup. After only a few weeks, he and his parents relocated to Virginia Beach. During his adolescent years, he took up the sport of wrestling AND graduating as a proud Cox High School Graduate. He also continued to wrestle through his college years at Virginia Commonwealth University.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Out of college, Ken became an entrepreneur of sorts, as he was proud owner of 5 ARCO Gas stations in the 70’s. During that time, he often biked to work since he could not drive. He then became self-employed through Business Opportunities for the Blind (B.O.B.) operating several coffee shops located in the Tidewater area in the 90’s. He found great joy in “doing what he can, because he could”. Ken was not one to let anything in life stop him. He became a Lobbyist for Environmental causes in Tennessee, Created and started up many business opportunities for people with visual impairments. He participated in and lead several commissions and councils for the blind.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>He was President of the Virginia Beach Mayors Committee for those with disabilities. Ken wrote a book called “It Was Just a Phase” based on his life experience as a lobbyist. He loved chatting with his friends online called “Al’s Blind Caf”. He was a Master Mason with Princess Anne Chapter No. 25 in Virginia Beach.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>While Ken had no children of his own, he had two loves in his life. His loving wife, Faye, whom they spent 38 years of pure bliss and adventure, and his beloved cat, Beaux. He and Faye loved to travel, Ken loved to listen to Jimmy Buffett, and Faye remembers fondly taking many memorable trips together. One of Faye’s fondest memories is when they took ballroom dance classes together in their early years of marriage. They capped this off with dancing the waltz at the annual Christmas recital at the Fred Astaire Studio in 1992 to the song, “Greensleeves”.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Left behind to cherish his memory are his loving wife Faye Adams, his cat Beaux, sister Evelyn Watkins, and sister Joy Rowland(Al), his brothers Marty Ayscue(Ann), and Randy Ayscue(Faye), and Nephew Jay Ayscue(Jessica), as well as countless cousins and other friends.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>In Lieu of flowers, please donate to a charity of your choice in Ken’s honor, or to the Parkinson’s Foundation.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>A service is planned for a later date at All Saints Episcopal Church, date to follow. Please check back at:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://neptunesociety.com/obituaries/virginia-beach-va/kenneth-jessup-10562310">https://neptunesociety.com/obituaries/virginia-beach-va/kenneth-jessup-10562310</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Tracy Soforenko<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>President, National Federation of the Blind of Virginia<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>202 285-4595<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:Tracy.soforenko@gmail.com"><span style='color:#0563C1'>Tracy.soforenko@gmail.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="http://www.nfb.org/"><span style='color:#0563C1'>www.nfb.org</span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="http://www.nfbv.org/"><span style='color:#0563C1'>www.nfbv.org</span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>National Federation of the Blind. Live the Life You Want<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The National Federation of the Blind is a community of members and friends 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.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal>Peace,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Jacki Bruce<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:jackibruce6@gmail.com">mailto:jackibruce6@gmail.com</a> or <a href="mailto:membership@nfbv.org">membership@nfbv.org</a> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="tel:(757)291-1789">tel:(757)291-1789</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Find us on Facebook @NationalFederationoftheBlindofVirginia<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Find us on Instragram @nfbofvirginia<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Subscribe to our Youtube: NFB Virginia<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="http://www.nfbv.org/">www.nfbv.org</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>