Macy, Anne Sullivan (1866-1936)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1936 Oct 28 p. 1

Birth date: 1866

text of obituary:

DEATH TAKES FAMOUS TEACHER OF THE BLIND

At Forst [sic Forest] Hills, N. Y., Mrs. Anne Sullivan Macy, companion and teacher of Helen Keller for 49 years, died Tuesday.

Hrs. [sic] Macy, 70 years old, died in the home she shared with Miss Keller and Miss Poly Thomson, who is Miss Keller's secretary.

Mrs. Macy was a heroic, self-effacing person. The results of her teaching of Miss Keller, who, blind, deaf and mute from childhood, became the world's intellectual marvel, was better known than Mrs. Macy herself. But her life was poured into Helen Keller's triumphs. She was first associated with Helen Keller in 1886, when she traveled south to become teacher to the 7-year-old child who had been deprived of sight and hearing by a babyhood attack of scarlet fever. They were together until death intervened, working for the same causes — peace and for the blind throughout the world.

A few years ago, Mrs. Macy lost her sight. And Helen Keller, the pupil, became the teacher of her teacher. She taught Mrs. Macy to read Braille.

Hope again was renewed for Mrs. Macy when Dr. Conrad Berens, noted specialist, operated to remove a cataract and to correct other eye defects which had affected the famous teacher since childhood. Weeks later, when the bandages were removed, Mrs. Macy was able to see again.