We honor here members, friends and supporters of the American Council of the Blind who have impacted our lives in many wonderful ways. If you would like to submit a notice for this column, please include as much of the following information as possible.
Name (first, last, maiden if appropriate)
City of residence (upon passing)
State/province of residence (upon passing)
Other cities/states/countries of residence (places where other blind people may have known this person)
Occupation
Date of death (day if known, month, year)
Age
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Deaths that occurred more than six months ago cannot be reported in this column.
Dick L. Seifert
May 15, 1948 - January 24, 2020
Dick L. Seifert, 71, of Little Rock, passed away Jan. 24, 2020. Dick was born to Urban and Isabel (Wilhelm) Seifert on May 15, 1948 at Smith’s Hospital in Paris, Ark. He grew up in Charleston, Ark., and attended the Arkansas School for the Blind in Little Rock from kindergarten through the 12th grade, graduating on May 25, 1967.
While at ASB, Dick enjoyed history, geography, and science, developing a strong interest in English grammar in the 11th grade. He learned to cane chairs and do wood and metal work in industrial arts. Dick played euphonium (baritone) in the ASB band, participated in athletics, and earned a novice license to operate an amateur radio. He graduated from Arkansas Tech at Russellville on his birthday in 1971 with a bachelor of arts in economics. He earned a master’s of social science, specializing in manpower economics, in 1972 from the University of
Mississippi at Oxford, and in 1973 he completed one year toward a Ph.D. in economics.
Dick was employed at Arkansas Juvenile Services (now Youth Services), Arkansas Division of Services for the Blind, and Central Arkansas Transit (now Rock Region Metro).
Dick liked to read. Most of his reading material was in braille until the summer of 1986 when he learned to use an Optacon (a device that allowed him to access printed material by touch). This substantially increased his independence, especially with reading mail. In recent years, he also learned to use a computer. He enjoyed following the Cardinals baseball club and the Arkansas Razorbacks football, basketball and baseball teams. He followed the Arkansas Travelers Baseball Club, in which he held 70 shares of stock. Dick has heard at least parts of 712 broadcasts of the Razorback football games. This activity began on November 8, 1958, against Harden Simmons in War Memorial Stadium, Little Rock. In Dick’s early years, he went squirrel and possum hunting with his dad. He also enjoyed fishing, swimming, and playing the guitar.
Dick was a life member of the Arkansas School for the Blind Alumni Association, the American and Arkansas Council of the Blind, ACB Lions, the Little Rock Council 812 of the Knights of Columbus, and the Braille Revival League. He served on ACB’s board of directors for 13 years. He has held membership in the Little Rock Founders Lions Club since May of 1981, and he has participated in Political Animals since February of 1986.
Dick was preceded in death by his parents; one brother, Mark Seifert; and one sister, Cathy Seifert. Left to cherish his memory are two sisters, Debbie Burnett of McGhee, Arkansas; and Pam Been of Sallisaw, Okla.; two brothers, Larry Seifert of Greenwood, and Randy Seifert of Conway; and a host of other family and friends.
Rosary was held at 10:30 a.m. Monday, January 27, 2020, at St. Andrews Catholic Church in Little Rock. A funeral mass followed. Immediately after the mass was the burial at Sacred Heart Cemetery in Charleston, Ark.
Dick asked that you not mourn for him at his death, but that you rejoice in knowing that he had a successful life. In lieu of flowers, he suggested that people make a donation to the charity of their choice. Online condolences may be made at www.smithmortuaryinc.com.