It is with a heavy heart that we share the passing of a dedicated supporter, LightHouse volunteer, and dear friend of the blind community, Liz Klein. Liz passed in January 2023 at the age of 79. Liz was a member of the San Francisco California Council of the Blind (CCB) chapter for over 25 years. After retiring, she generously volunteered her time to the CCB San Francisco chapter, the East Bay Center for the Blind, LightHouse, as well as numerous events around the Bay Area. At many CCB conventions, you could find Liz at the San Francisco chapter table selling products to raise funds for the CCB youth scholarship fund. During the pandemic, Liz knitted hats to be distributed to cancer patients. She was a kind and generous person, and a friend to many.
Here is what some LightHouse community members have to say about our friend, Liz Klein.
“Liz will certainly be missed around the LightHouse. She was always willing to give a helping hand to the adult programs and she was a strong advocate for the rights of the blind community. What she was most proud of was her son. And I know he was just as proud of his mom for her loyalty, perseverance, and her display of feisty independence in the way she lived her life. Rest in peace my friend.” – Enchanted Hills Camp Director, Tony Fletcher
“My first day leading the [Coffee with Mike Cole] group was January 4, Louis Braille’s birthday 2016. A nice woman welcomed me and told me that she attended the Kentucky School for The Blind in 1951. I would discover that didn’t mean she graduated then, but I realized right away that Liz Klein was a woman with a good long history living and contributing to our community. Over the years before the scourge of Covid, Liz was a steadfast assistant for the group we have enjoyed ever since that first time at the Van Ness Lighthouse. She arrived early, helped with the setup, which involved several steps and she fully participated in our discussions, lending her knowledge and experience of the work she had done and the people she knew. I came to realize how active she was, helping with two chapters of the CCB and the East Bay Center for the Blind. Liz participated, but she also helped, loving the act of volunteering including the knitting project of hats for cancer patients. She had compassion for all the Lighthouse members. She is missed. She contributed to the Lighthouse’s program and performed hours and hours of volunteer work. Rest well Liz, you have definitely done your share.” – LightHouse volunteer, Mike Cole
I was impressed working with Liz. Despite having some physical disabilities, she always did her best to contribute and share her work with the LightHouse. When we would attend Coffee with Mike Cole every Monday, she was always there early to start making coffee for the group. She shared a lot with the group, she shared her life experiences, and it helped the group a lot.” – LightHouse volunteer, Marie Vuong
“Liz was one of the first volunteers I met when I started working at LightHouse in 2017. She created an environment that was welcoming and inclusive for all of our community, fostering a space to ask questions and build comradery. I don’t think that the Coffee with Mike Cole group would have had the same success without Liz’s steadfast commitment to prep and community building. We will miss her around LightHouse.” – LightHouse Volunteer Manager, Allyson Ferrari
There will be a virtual memorial for Liz on Saturday, March 11. If you would like to honor and celebrate her life, please see the event details below:
Date: Saturday, March 11, 2023
Time: 11:00 am to noon, longer if we hadn’t heard from everyone. Virtual doors open at 10:45 am
Where: Zoom. (The Zoom room will be titled San Francisco Chapter Chat)
Please Note: When you join the Zoom meeting, you will be in a waiting room. Please be patient as we admit everyone.
Join Zoom Meeting for the Liz Klein memorial. (https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84292516501)
One touch mobile: +16699006833,,84292516501#
Phone: 1-669-900-6833
Meeting ID: 842925165014
