by Maria Lopez
[Editor's Note: In our call-out for information about our members over the age of 80, what a nugget this is! John Lopez served as president of the CCB
from 1992-1994, an important two years in CCB history, and we are privileged to print this profile by the person most able to write it, his wife of 55
years and a former editor of this publication.]
John was born in 1930 in Loving, New Mexico. He became totally blind at the age of nine. He attended the New Mexico school for the blind and became an
accomplished pianist. The highlight of his graduation day was his piano performance of Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue. During his time in school, he also
participated in the school's Olympic wrestling team, winning the championship against New Mexico State's military wrestling team.
Throughout his adult life he taught music to blind and sighted students alike, and at the same time performed with several orchestras in many different
environments, while attending university to obtain his bachelor's degree. John came to California in 1950 to receive a guide dog and decided to stay here.
He and I met in November, 1959, while he was teaching at Braille Institute and I became a student there. We married in June, 1960. This year we will be
celebrating our 55th anniversary. We enjoy our family of 4 children, 6 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren.
We became involved in the East Los Angeles community and in the California Council of the Blind in 1963 as cofounders of the East Los Angeles Chapter CCB
under the guidance of Tony Mannino. For many years John was president of this chapter while I was secretary or treasurer. At present, we still attend our
beloved chapter's monthly meetings and are happy to see that we have very able younger leaders that have taken over.
In the early 80's, John traveled to Puerto Rico, together with Durward McDaniels, on behalf of the ACB, to help blind people get organized; they both also
visited the industries for the blind workshops to improve the work environment for blind workers. For a long time, he was also involved in helping the
youth in the community, speaking and counseling inmates in different detainment centers. One project that he never forgot was to donate blood to the Red
Cross every year.
In 1987, John became the first blind president of the Boyle Heights Lions Club, and in 1992, he was elected president of the CCB. Some of the accomplishments
of his two-year presidency of the CCB are known.
While John was working, I was in charge of taking care of the children. When the kids became adults, I learned to play drums and accompanied him in some
of his gigs, also went back to college to finish my education. In 1992 I became the editor of The Blind Californian, a position that I kept for about 4
years; I also helped with the California Connection in Spanish for some time. Meanwhile, I had a full-time job in a printing company; until my retirement,
I was in charge of a bindery group where I was the only blind person.
In 1983, I traveled to Mexico to represent the CCB and help blind people to start an organization there. During this trip, I learned that blind people
in many countries are in great need of help because they do not have the materials and the support they need to get an education. For this reason, I decided
to start the International Friendly Circle of the Blind, IFBC, the purpose of which was collecting materials for the blind here in the United States and
distributing them to needy blind students in developing countries. Some time after, I had to abandon this project because the demands of my job.
During our years together, John and I have accomplished some things that we can be proud about, but our biggest satisfaction comes from knowing that we
brought up four responsible, honest and wonderful children. John is now close to 85 years old but in good health, and we are enjoying our retirement after
many years of an active life.
