1

MarjorieAnneVonFrantziusSeptember24,1928–August7,2018

Storyonpage2

Going cochlear

Meetings: Third Saturday of the month 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Englewood Public Library 1000 Englewood Parkway Englewood, CO 80110 (Hampden and Inca)

President: Bernie Steinberg 303-756-1107; berniedan@yahoo.com

Vice President: Bob Haigh 303-789-5986; roberth460@comcast.net

Secretary: Marilyn Weinhouse xweinhouse@aol.com Treasurer: Miki Seeley

303-757-7302; seeley60@aol.com News editor: Paula DeJohn

303-617-6135 Paula.dejohn@yahoo.com

Hearinglossdenver.org © 2018 HLAA-Denver Chapter. All rights reserved.

October 2018 Denver Chapter News

HLAA’s mission: To provide information, education, support and advocacy for people with hearing loss

Innovationcontinuesapaceinhearinglosstechnology.Cochlearimplantsarebecomingsmaller,morecomfortable,moreprotectiveofresidualhearing,andevencompatiblewithsmartphones,accordingtoToddHallberg,engagementmanagerforCochlearAmericas.ToddspokeattheHLADenverChapter’sSeptembermeeting,wherehereviewedthemechanicsofhearing,waysitcanbeimpaired,andwaysitcanberestored.Unlikehearingaids,whichamplifysound,cochlearimplantsstimulatehearingnerves,producingdigitalsignalsthatthebraincanlearntointerpret.DoIneedacochlearimplant?Theyarenotforeveryone,henoted;prospectsmusthavehearinglossforwhichhearingaidsarenolongereffective,asdemonstratedbyastandardizedtest.“Ifyouscorebelow40%withahearingaid,youareacandidateforacochlearimplant,”Toddexplained.Medicare,MedicaidandmanyinsuranceplanscoverCochlearimplants,butnotthehearingaidsthataudiologistsprescribe.Toaddresstheconfusionthatcanresult,theindustrynowavoidstheterm“aids”forallimplantabledevices,marketingthemas“hearingimplants.”

2

WhenMarjorievonFrantziusdiedAugust7,theartworldlostaprolificandtalentedpainter,theStanphillfamilylostabelovedaunt,andtheHearingLossAssociationofAmerica(HLAA)lostapartofitshistory.Butlet’snotdwellonloss.AnyonewhohasattendedameetingofHLAADenverChapter,sharingstorieswithfriendsandlearningabouthearinglossissues,owesadebttoMarjorie.ArrivingfromChicagoin1990,shebroughtherexperiencewithSelf-HelpfortheHardofHearing(SHHH),theprecursortoHLAA,andpersuadedahalfdozenotherpeoplewithhearinglosstoformtheDenverChapter.The50currentmembersandongoingprogramsarethelegacyofherwisdomandleadership.Thosewhoknewherwillalsosmileatmemoriesofherwittyremarksandgentleteasing.Disdainingcomputers,shereliedonphonecallstostayintouchbetweenmeetings,despiteanyone’shearingdifficulties.“Hello,it’sMarjorie,themembershipchair—IhopetoseeyounextSaturday.”Afunperson“WehavefondmemoriesofMarjorie,askilledartist,aforthrightspeaker,andanall-aroundfunperson,”sayscurrentpresidentBernieSteinberg.“Shewasproudofthescrapbookofmaterialsshekeptfromthoseearlierdays,andsheremainedveryinterestedintheoperationofthechapter.”Addslong-timememberandpastpresidentDaveConant,“Shecertainlyhadourmissionatheart.”PasttreasurerAnnMonsonagrees:“ItwasfuntogettoknowMarjoriethroughHLA,”shesays.“Sheoftenaskedquestions,andwasthemostinquisitivepersoninourgroup!”Long-timememberssuchasMarieLynchandBarbaraNguyenrecallthatfromthestartMarjoriewasonamissiontoorganizeaDenverchapter.“Inthebeginning,”wemetinherhome,withaboutfivepeople,”Barbarasays.Manyyearslater,when

membersvisitedMarjorieatthenursinghomewherememorylosskeptherfromrecognizingoldfriends,sheeagerlyreadthechapternewsletter,commentingonthestoriesandphotos.AmongMarjorie’searlyrecruitswasJamesFlor.“ImetMarjoriemanyyearsagowhenwewerebothvolunteeringattheBotanicGardens,”Jamesrecalls.

“Shewasverydedicatedtogivingtourstochildren.WhenshelearnedofmyhearingdisabilityshetoldmeaboutHLA.Iwasamemberforalongtimeuntilmyhealthnolongerpermittedmetoattendmeetings.Shewasalwaysthebestpartofthemeetingsformewithherwonderfulcomments.”ButtherewasmoretoherlifethanHLA,notesSallyHodge,afellowfoundingmember.“SheusedtogobacktoSkokie,Illinoiseverysummertovisithersisterandfriends.Laterinlifeshetookupwatercolorpaintingandwasverytalented.Shealsohadaweaknessforchocolate—heronesin,shecalledit!”

Anartist’slifeMarjoriewasbornonSeptember24,1928,andgrewupintheChicagoarea.Sheearnedabachelor’sdegreeinartfromMundeleinCollege,nowpartofLoyolaUniversity.Shebeganherartisticcareerasacartographer,workingforEncyclopediaBritannicaandDenoyerGeppert,aproducerofmaps,globesandanatomicalmodels.Alongwiththetechnicalproficiencysuchworkrequired,Marjoriehadacreativestreakthatsheexpressedindelicatewatercolorpaintingsofflowersandlandscapes.HermovetoDenverwaspromptedbyadesiretoparticipateintheColoradoartscene,aswellasoursunnyweather,accordingtoherfamily.ShebecameactiveintheAuroraArtistsGuildandHeritageFineArtsGuildofArapahoeCounty.ThepaintingsreproducedinthisissuewereprovidedbyChrisStanphill,Marjorie’sniece.

—PaulaDeJohn

Marjorie leaves prosperous chapter, fond memories

3

MemorialsOnSunday,October7,Marjorie’smemorywillbehonoredduringthe5:30p.m.MassatRisenChristCatholicChurch,3060SMonacoPkwy,Denver,CO80222.BurialwasinChicagowithherfamily.DonationsinhermemorycanbemadetotheDenverChapterincareofBernardSteinberg,1900SouthKearneyWay,Denver,CO80224-2307.SincetherewillbenoformalmemorialserviceintheDenverarea,Marjorie’sfriendsareinvitedtosharetheirmemoriesandcelebrateherlifeduringtheOctober20meeting.

4

New website TheDenverChapternowhasawebsite:www.hearinglossdenver.org,withmeetinginformation,newsletters,andphotosofmemberactivities.TheadministratorischaptersecretaryMarilynWeinhouse,whoalsopublishesthechapter’sFacebookpage.October speaker WynneWhymanwillbethespeakeratourOctober20meeting.Shewilldiscussherexperienceattendingthe2018nationalHLAAconventioninMinneapolis.ThenextconventionwillbeJune20-23,2019,inRochester,NewYork.The Danish connection Ifyournewhearingaidisworkingwonders,youmaywanttothankaDane.InaDecember2016bloginForbesonline,formerU.S.UnderSecretaryofStateJamesGlassmannotesthatwhileglobalizationhasmanycritics,italsooffersadvantagestoAmericans,especiallythosewithhearingloss.“ThreeofthesixlargesthearingaidmanufacturersareheadquarteredinDenmark;onlyoneisbasedintheUnitedStates,”hesays.Forexample,the150-year-oldDanishcompanyGNStoreNordmakesaudio-testingequipment,high-endmicrophones,andhearingaids,whicharemarketedthroughitsBeltoneandReSounddivisions.Glassmancitesasurveyindicatingthat64%ofAmericanswithseverehearinglossreporttheycannotaffordhearingaids.Militaryveteransaretheexception;theVeteransAdministrationprovides20%ofallhearingaidsdispensedinthiscountry,henotes.

Summer travels ChapterpresidentBernieSteinbergandhiswifeKathyhavebeentouringItalythissummer,whileHeleneGustafsonrecentlyreturnedfromacruiseontheRhineRiver.PaulaDeJohnspentafewdaysinCrestone,neartheSangredeCristomountains.PaulaalsojoinedBarbaraNguyenforavisittotheStanleyArtsFestivalinAurora. Dues are (over)due Ifyouhaven’tdonesoalready,pleaseplantopayyour2018duesof$15(cashorcheck)attheOctober20meeting.Ifyouwon'tbeattending,pleaseemailMikiSeeley(seeley60@aol.com)tomakearrangementsformailingacheck.DuescoverJanuary1,2018throughDecember31,2018.

In other news…

PaulaDeJohnattheStanleyArtsFestival.ArtyphotobyBarbaraNguyen.