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William L. Asbridge - EPILOGUE
Update 6/20/03:
Leonard Asbridge, August 27, 1906 - March 5, 2003
Leonard Asbridge, one of the founders of the Southern Baptist Conference of the Deaf [SBCD], left his earthly self in Jackson, Mississippi, on March 5, 2003 and went to meet the Lord. He was 96. He leaves two daughters, four grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.
Born in Neely's Chapel, Tennessee, Mr. Asbridge became deaf at seven due to spinal meningitis. In 1916, he left his family's farm for Tennessee School for the Deaf in Knoxville, where he was a stand-out athlete in track & field, baseball, and football. After briefly missing a chance to attend Gallaudet, he returned to his native Dyer County and began work as a printer, finally settling in Memphis. Mr. Asbridge was also a pastor, establishing congregations in Tennessee, Arkansas and Mississippi.
Together with SBCD, v. 22, no. 2, Spring 2003
Update 4/1/02:
Betty Lou Reeves, William Asbridgeís daughter, writes ñ ìMy father is now 95 years old and lives in Brandon, MS, in a retirement home. He is in good health but uses a walker and isnít able to get out as much as he used to. He is very proud of his three great-grandchildren and has even made a visit to Memphis in fall 2001 to visit them. Last Christmas [December 2000] he played Santa at the MS School for the Deaf. It gave him great pleasure to be able to do this. He regrets that he really isnít up to being Santa this year [December 2001]. Mother died in March of 2000 of Lymphoma. We had a glorious service in Memphis for her that featured a deaf choir and service in signs. Daddy misses his deaf friends and would welcome cards and letters. His addess is William Leonard Asbridge, Peachtree Village #102, 6100 Old Brandon Road, Brandon, MS 39042.
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William Asbridge is now 93 years old. He does not drive any more, but misses it very much. He stopped driving, as he says, "for the sake of other deaf. An accident may hurt other deaf people. Memphis isn't very familiar with deaf people like other cities." This photograph was taken in 1994. |
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William Asbridge writes that his wife, Doris, shown here in 1991 with the Silent Santa, has not been well and taking care of her has taken a lot of his time. Nonetheless, he has written the following epilogue, and included some newspaper clippings; information from these are included below. |
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Back in 1948 there were only 21 people from seven states who attended the first meeting of the Southern Baptist Conference of the Deaf. In the last year (1998), the SBCD was 50 years old, and the attendance was nearly 1,000. Through the years more than 40,000 people have attended these spiritual meetings. The SBCD continues to grow and leads many deaf into becoming ministers. At present there are about 70 to 75 ministers covering many countries around the globe. We are hoping to reach more countries with the spiritual message of Jesus Christ in future time. Some most exciting events happened when I was playing "Silent Santa" to the deaf children. They were so excited that Santa could talk with them in sign language. I played "Silent Santa" for 17 years, until 1990, when I fell and cracked a bone in my hip. I had to stop and go slow, so I sent a substitute just to keep the children happy. Being a Santa really uplifts the excitement and joy of the children. |
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From the Mid-South Senior, a newspaper for senior adults in Memphis, Fayette, Lauderdale, Shelby and Tipton counties, October 1988 (volume 10, number 10): "W. Leonard Asbridge, 82, and Pauline J. Hord, 82, were cited for their untiring and inspirational work in the community. "Asbridge, a retired newspaper printer who lost his hearing at age 7, accepted his award with a huge smile. Speaking in sign language through his interpreter, Fay Lanham, Asbridge said, 'It's unbelievable that a deaf person could win. I didn't think I would be selected, but I'm grateful for the deaf community.' "Mr. Asbridge founded the Southern Baptist Conference for the Deaf forty years ago and the Tennessee Conference for the Deaf thirty years ago. "Besides his work as a minister, Mr. Asbridge loves to play Santa Claus for deaf youngsters. "'One of my biggest thrills,' he said, 'was seeing the excitement of those children when they realized they could converse with Santa in sign language.'"
From The Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN), August 25, 1988: "Literacy activist Pauline Jones Hord, 80, and Leonard Asbridge, 82, a leader in work for the deaf, shared the honor of Senior Citizen of the Year awarded yesterday at the 1988 Conference on Aging. The conference at the Memphis Cook Convention Center drew more than 2,000 participants for programs that ranged from senior consumer fraud to sex and aging. Speakers included Governor Ned McWherter, Memphis Mayor Dick Hackett and Shelby County Mayor Bill Morris. "Asbridge, deaf since the age of seven due to meningitis, founded the Southern Baptist Conference for the Deaf and the Tennessee Baptist Conference for the Deaf. He is a Baptist minister to the deaf and is well-known among deaf children in Memphis for his role each Christmas as 'the Santa Claus that can sign.' He was a printer for the Memphis Publishing Co. for 33 years. "Using sign language, Asbridge said he was 'very emotional and excited' about the award and said his energy 'comes from the Lord.'"
From the TSDAA (Tennessee School for the Deaf Alumni Association) Newsletter, Spring 1999 issue (volume 9, number 4): "Today Leonard and Doris, his wife of 58 years, continue to reside in Memphis. They have two daughters and four grandchildren. They are still active at the First Baptist Church of Memphis where Leonard serves as a deacon. "William Leonard Asbridge's contribution to Deaf Baptist work is still felt today. It can be said of him 'He made one small step for the Deaf and one great leap for the Deaf world.' At this writing Leonard is 92 years old."
From The Jackson Sun (Jackson, TN), December 24, 1991: Signing with Santa Claus
St. Nick makes special
visit to school for the deaf The 38 children at West Tennessee School for the Deaf had a special visit with Santa who could speak their language. Santa, who is deaf, brought a sleigh full of Christmas presents to pass out to children before the holiday break. Four of the school's employees put antlers on their heads and pulled Santa and his sleigh through the school. Children watched for Santa to sign their names and giggled when he motioned them forward to receive their gifts.
Several of the students ages 3-13 live in cottages at the school rather than making daily commutes from out of town, then return home on weekends, said school superintendent Gene Reeves. The school, founded as Berryhill Center for the Hearing Impaired, became Tennessee's second school for the deaf, housing and teaching children from preschool through sixth grade. Before that, Knoxville provided the only state school for hearing-impaired children. Students from several West Tennessee counties regularly commute to the classes. Children at the school are tutored in signing, spelling, reading, writing and speech therapy. They also have enrichment opportunities including field trips, special programs, and parties such as their Christmas visit from a Santa they could relate to because he shared their most special need--learning to overcome and succeed in a silent world. Santa brought two or three Christmas presents for each child. Coloring books, play jewelry and fruit baskets were provided by the school, private donations and McDonald's restaurant, the school's Partner in Education, Reeves said. Brashundra Pruitt, 11, opened her presents right away. "I got a watch and a book," she signed, pointing to her gifts. She said she plans to leave a Christmas card out for Santa this year. Five-year-old Adam Schaffer stashed his presents away for safekeeping. "I'm going to wait for Christmas," he said through an interpreter. Eighty-five-year-old Leonard Asbridge, who plays Santa, calls himself a "silent Santa" and has been visiting with deaf children since 1981. Both he and his wife Doris are deaf. This is his fourth visit to West Tennessee School for the Deaf, where he also visited individual classrooms to talk with children and passed out candy canes. "I'm eating more and getting fatter," Santa signed to the children, as he rubbed his belly.
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Back to William Asbridge's Original Story
Department of Research and Teacher Education
National Technical Institute for the Deaf
Rochester Institute of Technology
52 Lomb Memorial Drive
Rochester, NY 14623-5604
| Gail
Hyde |
Dr. Susan Foster |
Copyright 1999 Rochester Institute of Technology