by Cindy Burgett, President, Washington Council of the Blind
On July 26, 2004, members of the Washington Council of the Blind (WCB) and from throughout ACB mourned the passing of Sharon Keeran. Now let us celebrate her life.
Sharon was born in a small town outside of Reno, Nev., but after going blind at age three from retinoblastoma, was raised in foster care while attending specialized schools for the blind in southern California, providing her opportunities she didn’t have at home. She described herself as a tomboy growing up, which would surprise many who knew her as a very stylish dresser, meticulous about her appearance.
Although Sharon saw herself as non-political, in 1994-95, she served WCB as its second president following this affiliate’s merger. She spent 12 years as a solid member of the Newsline Committee (which worked on WCB’s newsletter) and was very committed to this work. She also served on the WCB finance committee for many years as either its chair or as an active member; she was never afraid to question ideas or raise concerns to ensure the committee’s decisions were well thought out.
Sharon also had a love for music. She spent five years as a professional singer in her young adult life, and this was evident in her activities in and out of WCB. She spent numerous years serving on the Advisory Council of Arts for Visually Impaired Audiences (AVIA), promoting equal access to the arts, long before DVS on TV was our fight, and she loved attending audio-described plays.
Sharon worked many years for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), being one of the few totally blind people to reach managerial status. She retired from this position a few years ago.
As memories have poured in from around the country about Sharon, the constant theme has been her class and grace, represented through her poise, dignity and friendly demeanor. Whether it was working at the Information Desk at an ACB convention or working one-on-one with someone instructing them on the use of the Optacon, Sharon had a gift for making people feel special.
Sharon Keeran may be gone from this earthly life, but the work she began will continue within our blindness movement for many years to come.
ACB President Remembers Keeran
As a former president of WCB, I would like particularly to add a personal good-bye to Sharon, and express my profound sorrow upon receiving this news. In meeting Sharon for the first time, one could only be struck by her poise, her dignity, and her friendly demeanor. Sharon was extremely insightful about technology and it was because of technology we first met, even though this did occur at a WCB convention. I also wish to pay a special tribute to Sharon on account of her exceptional career-related success. At the IRS, she is one of the very few blind employees who has been able to excel and move beyond entry level employment into the managerial ranks of the agency. That is a significant accomplishment and one for which I have greatly admired Sharon these many years.
Sharon, may peace and happiness now be yours.
— Chris Gray