<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:comic sans ms,sans-serif;font-size:large;color:#990000"><span style="font-size:13pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif">Good Afternoon NFBI Family,<br><br>Below please find the very impressive obituary which appears today on the Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home's website, which is both copied below and may be found at:Â <br><br></span><a href="https://www.cedarmemorial.com/Obituary/2025/Feb/Dolores-M-Reisinger/">https://www.cedarmemorial.com/Obituary/2025/Feb/Dolores-M-Reisinger/</a><span style="font-size:13pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif">Â </span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:comic sans ms,sans-serif;font-size:large;color:#990000"><span style="font-size:13pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><br></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:comic sans ms,sans-serif;font-size:large;color:#990000"><span style="font-size:13pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif">Dolores
Molina Reisinger, 93, passed away February 17, 2025, at Meth-Wick Community. A
visitation will be held Monday, February 24, 9-10 a.m., at All Saints Catholic
Church, 720 29th St. SE, Cedar Rapids, followed by a funeral mass, 10-11 a.m.
Burial will take place at Cedar Memorial Cemetery, 4200 First Ave., Cedar
Rapids at 1 p.m. </span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:comic sans ms,sans-serif;font-size:large;color:#990000">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:13pt;line-height:107%">Dolores was
preceded in death by her husband, Jack Reisinger, and her parents Dolores
Munhoz and João Molina. Surviving relatives, all of Sao Paulo, Brazil, include
her sisters Dirce Molina Munhoz and Vera Lucia Molina (Darcio Francisco)
Marcilio; two nephews, Thiago Molina (Dainana Santana) Marcilio and Marcelo
Molina (Rosana) Marcilio; a niece, Valeria Marcilio (Fernando) Triboni; five
great-nieces and -nephews, Antonella Santana, Vitoria and Mariana Marcilio, and
Bruno Marcilio and Fernanda Marcilio Triboni; a cousin she was particularly
close to, Magali Munhoz; and several dear friends including Kathy Hall, who was
with Dolores daily from the time she moved from her home to memory care at
Meth-Wick.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:13pt;line-height:107%">Dolores was
born February 5, 1932, and grew up in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in a loving family.
She was six months old when her parents learned she was blind. They were
determined Dolores grow up as a ‘normal’ person, capable of learning through
her remaining senses, and above all, her mind. They allowed her to grow not
only physically but mentally, emotionally and intellectually. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:13pt;line-height:107%">Dolores
attended a special Catholic school for blind children, run by the sisters of
St. Vincent de Paul. After elementary and secondary school, she attended Sao
Paulo State University, earning a Master of History degree. She taught in
Brazil until 1968, when she was invited by the US State Department and the
International Federation of the Blind to visit America for a two-month exchange
program. The purpose of the trip was to observe schools and rehabilitation
centers for blind Americans. <br>
During her trip to America, Dolores met her future husband, Jack. They were
married March 8, 1969, after Dolores decided to leave her home country and
permanently move to the United States. At the time, Brazil was experiencing
political and military oppression; there was no freedom of press, no freedom of
speech, public meetings were not allowed, and citizens were not allowed to
voice their opinions.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:13pt;line-height:107%">Once in the
US, Dolores learned her Brazilian degree was not recognized, so she went back
to school. She earned a teaching certificate and Master of Spanish degree from
the University of Northern Iowa. She spent the next several years teaching
Spanish at Columbus High School in Waterloo. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:13pt;line-height:107%">In 1976,
Dolores went to work for the Iowa Department for the Blind as a vocational
rehabilitation teacher, serving 11 counties. For more than 18 years, she worked
with blind individuals, teaching them the skills they needed to help them live
independently. She also helped them understand that blind persons, given an
opportunity, can overcome what she called the ‘inconvenience’ of loss of sight.
She adamantly taught and believed the real problem of blindness is
misunderstanding and lack of information, quite often caused by public
attitudes, misconceptions and social prejudices.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:13pt;line-height:107%">After
retirement, Dolores volunteered as a member of the Cedar Rapids Civil Rights
Commission. During that time, she received the first of many signed
proclamations by the mayor of Cedar Rapids for “White Cane Safety Day†each
October 15. She also served on the Linn County “Help America Vote Act†task
force, which looked at election systems to ensure accessibility for individuals
who are blind and visually impaired. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:13pt;line-height:107%">Additionally,
Dolores taught English as a Second Language and Portuguese classes at Kirkwood
Community College. She often spoke in front of groups about blindness and the
National Federation of the Blind (NFB). Every October, during Meet the Blind
Month, she actively pursued opportunities to educate the community about
blindness, including handing out literature at public libraries, presenting in
classrooms, and demonstrating her Braille typewriter. One of her favorite
materials to share was the NFB’s Courtesy Rules of Blindness:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:13pt;line-height:107%">• <b>Cane </b>–
My cane (or guide dog) is my independent travel aid. If you think I might need
help, please just ask me.<br>
• <b>Ordinary </b>– Blind people are ordinary. It feels awkward if
you think I am amazing when I accomplish ordinary tasks like walking or tying
my shoes. I also like ordinary things and have ordinary hobbies. It is okay to
be amazed if I do something really exceptional.<br>
• <b>Understand </b>– I may not recognize your voice if I don’t know
you well. Please say, “Hi, it is Sue.â€<br>
• <b>Remember </b>– I may have some sight but use nonvisual
techniques and tools like a cane because it works best for me. Sometimes people
think I am “faking†because I see a little, but I am just picking techniques
that are most efficient and safe in light of my vision.<br>
• <b>Talk </b>– Please talk to me rather than a companion, and there
is no need to speak up so just use your normal speaking voice and talk with me
like you would with other people.<br>
• <b>Experience </b>– I probably have years of experience using
nonvisual techniques to live my life. Feel free to ask me how I do something,
or how best you can assist me, if help is needed.<br>
• <b>See </b>– It’s ok to still use words such as see and look. I
will talk with you like everyone else, although I may not be able to make
direct eye contact.<br>
• <b>Yield </b>– In all 50 states, the law requires drivers to yield
the right of way when they see my extended white cane or guide dog. Only the
blind may legally carry white canes. I listen to traffic patterns to know when
to cross streets and to keep a straight line when moving around. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:13pt;line-height:107%">Above all,
Dolores was devoted to her Catholic faith. She was a longtime member of All
Saints parish. She never missed a mass and treated every Sunday like a special
occasion, arranging a lunch date with a friend every week. At All Saints, she
enjoyed lecturing, knitting with the shawl ministry, and loved to attend and
help with church activities like decorating for Christmas, packing meals for
Take Away Hunger and partaking in potlucks and celebrations. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:13pt;line-height:107%">Everyone who
knew Dolores could easily recognize her determination. She was a strong person
who was never defeated. She enriched the lives of a great number of people and
will be loved and missed by all. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:13pt;line-height:107%">In lieu of
flowers, memorial donations may be directed to the National Federation of the
Blind or All Saints Catholic Church.</span></p></div></div>