Deaf couple were community role models

YOUNGSTOWN — William and Judith Schmidt, who died in an early morning fire today in their residence, were valuable role models for deaf people in the Mahoning Valley, according to officials of the Easter Seal Society and Youngstown Hearing and Speech Center.

“They’re going to be greatly missed by everybody in the deaf community,” said Steven Leland, manager of the community center for the deaf, a division of the hearing and speech center.

“They were very inspirational. ... They reached out to the youth quite often and were really pillars to all those in the deaf community,” said Jodi Harmon, public relations director for Easter Seal and the hearing and speech center.

The local Easter Seal Society in Youngstown and the hearing and speech center in Boardman merged five years ago.

“Bill and Judy were always willing to talk to parents who’d just found out they had a deaf child,” Leland said.

For the complete story, read Tuesday's Vindicator and Vindy.com