Submitted by Jeanette Kutash
Myra Ross was born in New York, and lived in the Long Island area where she attended elementary and high school. Before she was five years old she had multiple surgeries on her eyes, as she was born with cataracts and developed Glaucoma in infancy. Though legally blind, she had enough vision to read most print until she was in the 11th grade, when she needed to begin using large print materials. She learned to type in the 2nd grade, and states this was one of the most useful skills she learned from her itinerant teachers.
Though Myra took music courses and lessons at the Eastman School of Music, she graduated from the University of Rochester where she received a BA in music.
In 1976, she attended the Carroll Center, with the goal of improving her braille skills, but found that upon completing their program she needed to do additional learning, which she did with the help and encouragement of a friend. She has good use of braille, but it is not her primary mode of communication. She is proud to be able to read books of about 200 pages, and has a better than functional use of braille.
Myra is married; she and her husband have two daughters, one son, and two grandchildren. The couple celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary last July.
Myra began her working career later in life, after chairing the Amherst Town Meetings and serving on the school committee (elected three times), working at Amherst Regional High School for 20 years. Myra held positions as both the school-to-career counselor, and the college counselor.
Myra learned her music by ear, but learned to read music by holding her violin in her lap like a guitar and looking closely at the music when she needed to. She learned to play the violin when she was eight, memorizing her pieces. She has played violin in the Pioneer Valley Orchestra, but her favorite instrument is the viola.
Of interest is this: There are string quartet conferences in hotels in Europe; she attended and performed in one of these in 2020. This year will be her fourth time participating in the local ones, held at Colgate University. All of these events are organized by the Manhattan String Quartet which uses hotels in Europe and locally rents out space at Colgate.
Myra was introduced to BSCB in 1986 when she met Brian Charlson, who also introduced her to the world of computers. She stated, “This changed my life, and opened up a whole new world for me.” She appreciates that BSCB members are Committed people; people who do advocacy for more than themselves, and continues to learn from their expertise in all areas. She states that she is inspired by their dedication and their knowledge, and appreciates that they have helped her get connected to many new opportunities. Myra has been a member of BSCB for “decades”, she says, and is currently BSCB Second Vice President, along with serving on the advocacy, transportation and communication committees.
She also continues to be active in her home town of Amherst and serves on Amherst’s Disability Access Advisory Committee as chairperson, and belongs to the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority Paratransit Riders Council.