Visionary leader of the Oberkotter Foundation
dies at 88, leaving a lasting impact
PHILADELPHIA, May 10, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- Mildred L.
Oberkotter, an extraordinary individual who dedicated her
life to empowering children who are deaf or hard of hearing, passed
away on May 9, 2024, in her home in
Moss Beach, Calif. With her
unwavering commitment and visionary leadership, she inspired
thousands of children to believe that their dreams could come
true.
Born on May 18, 1935, in
Los Angeles, Mildred—
affectionately known as Mildie— faced profound deafness from a
young age. In a time when hearing technology was nascent, her
parents, Paul and Louise Oberkotter,
defied the odds by embracing a communications approach to give her
every opportunity to reach her full potential.
Mildie's parents believed that she could communicate through
spoken language, and they sought out hearing specialists and
resources to support her development. This early pursuit became the
impetus for establishing the Oberkotter Foundation, which Paul and
Louise would form 50 years later to support families and increase
access to critical resources without needing to relocate or send
their child away to boarding school.
Under Mildie's visionary leadership as a trustee, the Oberkotter
Foundation flourished, making an indelible mark on the field of
deaf education. Since its inception, the Foundation has provided
more than $500 million to programs
throughout the United States in
support of its mission and created 25 new Listening and Spoken
Language (LSL) programs.
The Foundation also produced the acclaimed documentary series
"Dreams Spoken," which has reached millions of parents and
professionals worldwide. These films showcased the remarkable
achievements of children who are deaf or hard of hearing,
reinforcing the message that early intervention and appropriate
support can transform lives.
In 2015, Mildie's visionary approach helped launch Hearing
First, an initiative of the Oberkotter Foundation. Hearing First
provides information, resources, education, and community
connections to support families and the professionals who serve
them so that children with hearing loss have the opportunity to
learn to listen and talk.
In addition to Mildie's work with the Foundation, she worked at
the Lexington School for the Deaf in New
York and served on the boards of Weingarten Children's
Center and AG Bell— organizations that work to ensure people who
are deaf and hard of hearing can learn to listen and talk.
The Oberkotter Foundation, under the continued guidance of
dedicated trustees, will continue the work of bringing Mildred's
vision to life. "Mildie left us a clear vision for where the
Foundation should go and what it should achieve," said Dr.
Teresa Caraway, Oberkotter
Foundation CEO. "And as we enter this new chapter of the
Foundation, we will bring her vision to life in new and exciting
ways. Her legacy is not only what she has done but also what will
be built on the foundation that she so carefully laid."
For more information about the celebration of Ms. Oberkotter's
life, please
visit www.oberkotterfoundation.org/celebrating-mildred-oberkotter.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the
Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
(AG Bell), an organization that provides programs and support for
children with hearing loss, from cradle to career, or to the
Weingarten Children's Center, a non-profit school in Redwood City, CA, that teaches Listening and
Spoken Language (LSL) to children who are deaf or hard of
hearing.
ABOUT THE OBERKOTTER FOUNDATION
The Oberkotter Foundation helps families ensure their
children who are deaf or hard of hearing have opportunities to
reach their full potential through Listening and Spoken Language
(LSL). The Foundation is committed to advancing science and
innovation that will improve access to quality audiological and LSL
services for children with hearing loss so that they develop
age-appropriate listening, talking, and literacy skills.
Since 1985, the Foundation has provided over $500 million in funding to improve listening,
spoken language, and literacy outcomes for children with hearing
loss and their families.
For more information about the Oberkotter Foundation, visit
www.oberkotterfoundation.org.
View original content to download
multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/celebrating-the-life-and-legacy-of-mildred-l-oberkotter-inspiring-thousands-of-children-with-hearing-loss-to-achieve-their-dreams-302142584.html
SOURCE Oberkotter Foundation