Loretta McGraw

Thoughts and Memories of Miss McGraw (Loretta)
By Judy Oreto / Julia Shore (your favorite )

I have so many memories from over the years - Loretta has always been my favorite mentor and role model, from the very first year I met her. Looking back, she was just a little thing with that red hair, but she made a big impression.

Loretta started teaching my sophomore year - that would´ve been 1964-1965. We didn´t realize then that she was only six years older than us! I say we because there was a group of about eight of us who immediately attached ourselves to her. She was ours - our cheerleader sponsor, our modern dance teacher, our basketball coach, our gymnastics coach, and of course, our P.E. teacher... and eventually, our dear friend.

She helped us hold bake sales and car washes so we could go to cheerleader camp in Indiana. I think it was also to help us get new uniforms. We were pretty good - or at least loud and very enthusiastic!

When she left Gwynn Park High School and started working at the School for the Blind, she took Kim and me to visit. That day taught me something profound. The students were out on the veranda, laughing and talking - completely unaware of looks or ethnicity. People were connected by who they were inside. That´s when I started using the word "envelope" to describe people. Loretta taught me that - not with words, but by example.

She was always so supportive. She once took Kim and me to her mom´s house for dinner - such a simple kindness, but it meant the world.

Over the years, we stayed in touch off and on. On one trip back to the D.C. area, she met up with me, my mom, and my two boys for lunch. I don´t remember where we went, but I do remember being so surprised by her white hair!

Around 2007 or so, we all reconnected. I think we were turning 58 and starting to feel time catching up. Then just "the girls" began visiting her at her farm - what a beautiful place, with the horses and that gorgeous barn. Later, she moved to Oxford, PA.

Oh - I almost forgot the quilt! In 2016, we decided to do something special. After my mom passed in 2002, she had left behind a number of quilt squares. Our group added our own touches to some of them and had the pieces sewn into a quilt. Cindy worked with someone at her hospital to finish it, and we all met at a restaurant in Maryland to give it to Loretta - a gift of love and respect. She hung it on her wall.

Needless to say, I loved her very much. She had an enormous impact on eight young girls - girls who are now all 75 and 76 years old. That´s 60 years of being an amazing influencer... and we didn´t even have that word back then.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, Loretta.
See you in a twinkling of an eye.
- Judy Oreto / Julia Shore (your favorite )

I met Loretta probably in the very early 1980s. I was a vision teacher and she was in the Department of Education for the State of Maryland. We always found so much to talk about and laugh about. At some point in the early `90´s, she invited me to work on a project for the State of Maryland with people from other counties and organizations of the Blind to create a template for helping students and teachers to make decisions about teaching Braille. That was a profound experience for me and I had the chance of meeting so many people with different ideas; Loretta helped us to come together and to actually write a book for the State of Maryland prior to this kind of choice being made a national priority. In addition, after years of my speaking with the person running the summer programs at the University of Maryland whom I knew from another interest of mine, I was able to make a connection with Loretta and the University to launch a critical summer course for local teachers of children with visual impairments. This was special because Maryland didn´t provide teacher training for teachers in that field and Loretta made it happen without cost to the teachers. Loretta´s expertise, enthusiasm and strong convictions made this happen and I will forever be thankful to her. I will miss her spirit and joy. Rest in peace, Loretta.

I met Loretta as a teenager, and felt her power as a female and advocate for "girls sports" and for women. She was an influential force with her frank but kind words in conversations on many diverse subjects. I always came away with clarity. She will be greatly missed and always remembered.

Loved spending time with Loretta discussing our horses and other interests. She was truly my hero and I miss her so very much. The world is an emptier place without her.