Press Release
For Immediate Release - November 30, 2007

Contact: Rob Ennamorato - Communications Specialist - (410) 737-2615 rennamorato@bism.org

Rosemary Lerdahl - Director of Rehabilitation 1948-2007

Baltimore, MD - Rosemary Lerdahl, a lifelong advocate for the blind, died suddenly on November 29. Ms. Lerdahl, a resident of Arbutus, was 59.

In her most current position as Director of Rehabilitation at Blind Industries and Services of Maryland (BISM), Ms. Lerdahl supported students and staff with a combination of leadership, friendship, and humor. In her over 13 years at BISM, Ms. Lerdahl developed the Rehabilitation and Training program into one of the premier blind training programs in the country.

"We have lost a good friend, the local community has lost a good person, and the blindness community has lost a leader," said BISM President Frederick J. Puente.

Ms. Lerdahl, a Nebraska native who was legally blind as a child, had an extensive employment history with the blind that spanned over 35 years.

After graduating from the University of Nebraska with a bachelor's degree in psychology and social work in 1970, Ms. Lerdahl had eye surgery to restore much of her sight.

She began working with the blind as a part-time typing teacher at the Nebraska Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired in 1972.

From 1977 to 1984, Ms. Lerdahl was the Supervisor for the Nebraska Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired district office in Lincoln. In 1984, she became Director of the Nebraska Orientation Center, a position which she would hold for the next five years.

In 1989, Ms. Lerdahl moved to Baltimore and became Assistant Director for the National Federation of the Blind's Job Opportunities for the Blind program. At the time, Ms. Lerdahl stated that moving to Baltimore was the biggest risk she ever took in her life, leaving her family and friends behind in Nebraska.

Ms. Lerdahl's bold decision to relocate to Baltimore paid incredible dividends for Blind Industries and Services of Maryland. Ms. Lerdahl joined our organization on January 4, 1993 and utilized her vast experience to make the BISM Rehabilitation and Training department the top destination for blind and visually impaired people striving to live independently.

"Rosemary made the world better, one person at a time," said Puente. "She has touched the lives of many people, including my own."

Ms. Lerdahl is survived by her daughter Angela, who resides in Nebraska. Funeral arrangements are still pending at this time.

In lieu of flowers, Ms. Lerdahl's family requests that expressions of sympathy and donations be directed to the Rosemary Lerdahl Memorial Fund, which benefits the BISM Rehabilitation and Training program. Please make checks payable to Blind Industries and Services of Maryland, 3345 Washington Blvd., Baltimore, MD 21227.