index.html

LIVING WITH BLINDNESS

Jim and Sue Wiygul Martin

Now living in Springville, Alabama

St. Clair County

Home of Homestead Hollow

Jim is originally from Davison, Michigan. Check out Family History. He graduated with a
B.A. in Geography/Environmental Studies in 1979 from Western Michigan University.
Jim returned to W.M.U. in 1984 to pursue an M.A. in Orientation and Mobility, through the
Department of Blindness and Low Vision Studies He again returned to W.M.U. to receive a
second M.A. in Rehabilitation Teaching, through the Distance Education Program.
Jim lives with Sue, her guide dog Kismet, and Sirius Black--the big black dog, and now Lukas
the rescued German Shepherd puppy.. Iris passed away on 2/02. She was nearly 17 years
old. Iris died a peaceful death. Quoddy, Sue's second guide dog died on 5/02. Her ashes are
scattered in Frenchman's Bay, Maine. Silver Girl, puppy of Onaway, the Alaskan Malamute
went to the next life on Wednesday, May 4, 2005. Beverly died on
December 3rd, 2006 after a short illness.
Some of Jim's story is written in:
http://www.michiganlandtrust.org/compilation/Jimmartin.html

Iris
and
Quoddy

Silver Girl, and
Sirius

Speaking of dog guides, check out the Pine Tree Guide Dog Users home page!

Sue grew up in Birmingham, Alabama. She was graduated from The University of the South with a B.A. in English.
Sue's great diversions in her youth were horses and kayaks. When Sue lost her sight in 1982, she had to learn
new ways for doing almost every life activity. Some of her story is written in:

Revised: continually.

If you have any questions regarding blindness, low vision or access
technology feel free to ask us.

Who are we?

My Space

Facebook

Sue overlooking Jordon Pond at Acadia National Park

Sue with arms crossed looking at me stirnly while hiking

Sue taking a lean in the Smokey Mountains

Sue, Mamma, Jimmy, and Harrison with Sadie and Iris in Birmingham

Jim courtin Miss Sue at a Halloween party in Kalamazoo

Sue with Mike Cramer VW hat on from Rockland, Maine

needle point of our house in Maine by Harrison Wiygul

Quoddy looking out our back door in Ellsworth

Onaway looking out a window with the help of our couch

Beverly running down our driveway in Ellsworth

Jim, Sue, and Iris at our rented barn in Lincolnville, ME

Sue sticking her tongue out at me while hiking in the Camden Hills, Maine

Sue on ferry to Macinac Island, Michigan

view from the top of hill near our house in Ellsworth

from top of hill near our house in Ellsworth

This site in The Blind and Visually Impaired Ring is owned by Jim and Sue Martin.
Previous	Next	List Sites

Jim and Sue now live in a big white house on thirteen acres in the woods of Springville, Alabama with their three
dogs, one of whom is Kismet--from the Seeing Eye.

Here's the beginning of a compilation of sites offering electronic texts. You'll find everything from Shakespeare, Melville, and
Whitman to periodicals and newspapers.

"The Harnessing of Love"
&
"The Different Faces of Retirement"
&
Beverly
&
Quoddy in Retirement
&
Hiking Blind

In 1984 Sue enrolled in the Blind Rehabilitation program at Western Michigan University. She met Jim there and upon
her graduation with an M.A. in Blind Rehabilitation started life with a new dog guide, husband, and job all in the space
of four days.(quick thinking Miss Sue!)

Work Information

Jim is a Low Vision Therapist with the V.A.'s Southeastern Blind Rehabilitation Center.
Sue recently was promoted to the position of Management Analyst, Section 508 Compliance,
Office of Information, Veterans Health Administration

Section 508 Amendment to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

Blind ed V et erans Association

Key responsibilities

Jim provides training in low vision to visually impaired veterans at SBRC. This includes comprehensive functional testing and training with
eccentric viewing and a variety of low vision aids.
In addition to being certified in low vision and orientation and mobility, Jim is also certified as a Rehabilitation Teacher.

Orientation and Mobility is the art and science of teaching blind and visually impaired people various techniques
of orientation (knowing where you are, where you are going, and how you are going to get there), and mobility
(walking safely and independently, using long cane, sighted guide, guide dog, and/or electronic travel aids.)

Sue insures that information technology developed by the Veterans Health Administration is
accessible to all users, including those with disabilities.

Sue and Jim have set up a mail list for people who are blind or visually impaired. To subscribe to the list, send a message to
blindforum_maine-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Please don't include a signature file in this message, since it only confuses the listserv.
You will promptly receive an acknowledgment of your subscription in return email.

Blind Forum Maine