On July 28, AG Bell lifetime member and co-founder of AG Bell’s Oral Deaf Adult Section Dr. James C. Marsters passed away in his sleep at his home in Oakland, Calif, says a statement released by AG Bell. Marsters was 85.
Profoundly deaf since the age of 3 months as a result of scarlet fever, Marsters was a tireless advocate for individuals with hearing loss, says the statement. He was instrumental in the development of text telephones, also known as TTYs, and was the recipient of the first long-distance TTY phone call, the statement says. He actively promoted awareness of the listening and spoken language option for those with hearing loss, and in 1964 Marsters was the first deaf keynote speaker at an AG Bell convention. For many years, Marsters had a successful practice in orthodontics in Pasadena, Calif, and was a lecturer and clinical instructor in orthodontics at the University of Southern California. His late wife, Alice, was a director at the John Tracy Clinic.
John R. “Jay” Wyant, president of AG Bell, said in the statement that Jim’s passing has prompted innumerable reminisces from AG Bell members signifying the broad and deep impact he had on our lives. He and the other pioneers of his generation were trailblazers in expanding communication access for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, and their contributions touch us in many ways each and every day, he added.
To read an official obituary in the San Francisco Chronicle, click here. To read the announcement issued by the National Technical Institute for the Deaf, click here.
[Source: AG Bell]
