California Disability Community
Action Network Disability Rights News goes out to over 45,000 people with
disabilities, mental health needs, seniors, their families, workers,
community organizations, including those in Asian/Pacific Islander,
Latino, African American communities, policy makers and others across
California.
Sacramento Gray Panthers Leader
MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR JOAN LEE SET FOR AUGUST 15th
FRIDAY AT 11 AM IN SACRAMENTO - BELOVED ADVOCATE FOR SENIORS AND PEOPLE
WITH DISABILITIES AND LOW INCOME FAMILIES PASSED AWAY JULY 26 AT AGE 80
YEARS
SACRAMENTO (CDCAN) - The memorial service for Joan B. Lee is
scheduled for August 15, 2008, Friday morning at 11:00 AM in Sacramento.
Unitarian
Universalist Society of
Sacramento
2425 Sierra
Boulevard
Sacramento
,
CA
95825
(the location is in
the area bordered by Arden Way, Fulton/Munroe Street and Howe Avenues and
Fair Oaks Blvd in Sacramento. The nearest cross street to Sierra Boulevard
is Howe Avenue and also Fulton Avenue (which turns into Munroe Street when
it reaches Fair Oaks Boulevard)
As previously reported,
Joan B. Lee, (pictured left in a 2007 photo) a beloved and
admired advocate for seniors and people with disabilities and a leader of
the Sacramento Gray Panthers died Saturday evening at around 7:30 PM (July
26, 2008) at Kaiser Hospital in Sacramento, surrounded by pictures of her
family, cards and flowers sent by family and friends. She was
80 years old.
Her husband of 28 years,
Arnie Godmintz, who helped Joan in many of her advocacy efforts, was with
her at Kaiser Hospital constantly from the date she was admitted (July
4th) to the night of her death.
Her death was caused by
complications resulting from lung cancer that had spread rapidly to the
bones and her liver . She was admitted to Kaiser Hospital on
Friday, July 4th, though it wasn't until over 16 days later that a
diagnosis of cancer was made.
JOAN LEE'S DEATH
SADDENS CALIFORNIANS
Advocates for seniors, people with disabilities, health care reform,
policymakers of both parties across the State and nation, including
officials of the Schwarzenegger Administration expressed deep sadness and
grief at her death.
Margie Metzler, a close family friend and also a leader of the Sacramento
Gray Panthers, described her passing as "peaceful".
Maggie "Dee" Dowling of Pittsburg, California, a close friend
and a long time disability and senior advocate, was one of her last
visitors at the hospital Saturday early evening, holding Joan Lee's hand. Dowling
herself has been diagnosed with cancer and is undergoing treatment - a
situation that Lee was deeply concerned about even during her own
hospitalization.
[CDCAN note: I will be sending out a special report
remembering Joan (it will also be posted on the CDCAN website, with a copy
to be given to her family and Arnie. I was able to spend a couple of hours
earlier on Saturday with her and Arnie - though she never was awake (and
had not been since Thursday through the time she slipped away Saturday
evening).
She is terribly, terribly missed by so many of us - not only
as a tremendously powerful and good advocate, but a wonderful, caring good
friend.
If anyone has any thoughts they would like to share about Joan
and what she meant, for this special report, please send them to me
at martyomoto@rcip.com]
ADDRESS FOR CONDOLENCES AND CARDS
Condolences, messages of support can be sent to her husband Arnie
Godmintz, at their home in Sacramento:
Arnie Godmintz (Family of Joan Lee)
5313 Fernwood Way
Sacramento, CA 95841
Lee's husband Arnie said that the cards and messages of support and
flowers meant a lot to Joan in her weeks at the hospital and deeply
appreciated the prayers and thoughts of so many people across the State.
ADVOCACY WORK WIDELY ADMIRED AND RESPECTED
Lee was widely respected and admired by thousands of seniors and people
with disabilities across California and the nation, including policymakers
in Sacramento and Washington, DC.
She served on many policymaking groups, including the Olmstead Advisory
Committee formed by Governor Schwarzenegger's executive order in 2004 to
advise the Secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency on
the state's implementation of the landmark 1999 US Supreme Court
"Olmstead Decision". That decision requires the states to
take steps to avoid the unnecessary or unjustified institutionalization of
people with disabilities and seniors.
Lee also had been a strong leader and tireless advocate in the fight for
health care reform, strongly supporting passage of a single payer health
reform plan, most recently SB 840 by Sen. Kuehl.
She also fought hard for other health care issues that had impact on
seniors and also people with disabilities, including prescription drugs,
nursing home reform, and efforts to create and support more
community-based services and supports. She fought against budget
cuts and policy changes that would have made major reductions to In-Home
Supportive Services, SSI/SSP, Adult Protective Services, many of the aging
and senior programs under the Department of Aging, Medi-Cal.
At the federal level she was a leader in fighting against cuts to the
Medicare program, including how the drug prescription program was
implemented that have major impact to hundreds of thousands of seniors and
people with disabilties. She was active in fighting for preseving the
integrity of the Social Security program.
She was also active in other local and statewide issues that impact people
of low incomes related to housing, transportation and the environment.
She was outspoken in her opposition to the Iraq War and was prominent in
her work with the local Democratic Party.
WAS A LEADER IN GRAY PANTHERS
Lee was recognized as an advocate for issues impacting seniors, people
with disabilities, low income families and children, but was probably best
known as the most visible leader within the Gray Panthers
Affiliation of California Networks.
The Gray Panthers Affiliation of California Networks is a recognized Gray
Panthers group made up of all Gray Panther networks in the state.
She, along with other leaders, convened the Sacramento Gray Panthers group
in Sacramento at the Hart Senior Center on a regular monthly basis.
She also headed its legislative committee.
The Sacramento Gray Panthers mailing address is:
Sacramento Gray Panthers
PO Box 19438
Sacramento, CA 95819
As a longtime and prominent leader of the Sacramento Gray Panthers, her
death leaves a tremendous void in the leadership in the fight for the
rights of seniors and people with disabilities.
PLEASE
HELP CDCAN CONTINUE ITS WORK!!!
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activities cannot continue without your help!
CDCAN Disability Rights News Reports, Telemeetings & other Events
Advocacy Without Borders - ONE Community:
News Impacting People
With Disabilities, Mental Health Needs, Seniors & others, including
Asian Pacific Islanders, Latinos, African Americans communities across
California and beyond - Reports go out to over 45,000 people with
disabilities, seniors, mental health needs & others,
organizations, policy makers across California
This report - and the CDCAN townhall telemeetings, and other events and
projects are for all of them and for promoting advocacy without borders
toward unified action. We are one community.
To respond to this report reply to: Marty Omoto at martyomoto@rcip.com
CDCAN website: www.cdcan.us
To continue the CDCAN website, the CDCAN News Reports. sent out and
read by over 45,000 people and organizations, policy makers and media
across California and to continue the CDCAN Townhall Telemeetings which
since December 2003 have connected thousands of people with disabilities,
seniors, mental health needs, people with MS and other disorders, people
with traumatic brain and other injuries to public policy makers,
legislators, and issues. Please send your contribution/donation (make
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Action Network):
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Note: the paypal option on the CDCAN website is temporarily not
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The CDCAN Townhall Telemeetings are partially funded by a small
grant from the USC UCEDD, Grant #90DD0540 from the Administration on
Developmental Disabilities. (note: the opinions expressed or content in
these reports do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the USC
UCEDD.
MANY MANY THANKS to Friends of Children with Special Needs, UCP of Orange
County, UCP of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, Alta California Regional
Center, FEAT (Families for Early Autism Treatment), Life Steps,
Easter Seals California, Parents Helping Parents, Work Training, Foothill
Autism Alliance, Arc Contra Costa, Pause4Kids, Manteca CAPS, Training
Toward Self Reliance, UCP, California NAELA, Californians for Disability
Rights, Inc (CDR) including CDR chapters, CHANCE Inc, , Strategies To
Empower People (STEP), Harbor Regional Center, Tri-Counties Regional
Center, Asian American parents groups, Resources for Independent Living
and many other Independent Living Centers, several regional centers,
People First chapters, IHSS workers, other self advocacy and family
support groups, developmental center families, adoption assistance program
families and children, and others across California
DISABILITY
RIGHTS NEWS REPORT
