LORETTA HANES

LORETTA CARTER HANES (Age 90)  
A native Washingtonian, transitioned on August 21, 2016 in Washington, DC. A distinguished educational activist and longtime president/director of DC Reading Is Fundamental, Inc., Loretta was an educator, historian, researcher, community activist and environmental public health advocate.Loretta graduated in 1949 with a bachelor's degree in education from the Miner Teacher's College, a University of the District of Columbia (UDC) predecessor institution. Loretta and her future husband, Wesley Hanes, met through a mutual love of music at the renowned Washington, DC Conservatory of Music. She was a longtime member of the All Souls Church, Unitarian, active in social concerns, religious education, the Jubilee Singers and hospitality.Loretta met Margaret McNamara in the mid-1960's when both were members of DC Citizens for Better Public Education, which under Mrs. McNamara's leadership, launched a children's literacy pilot project that gave birth in 1966 to Reading Is Fundamental, Inc. (RIF), a nationwide children's literacy program. Lorettajoined the DC RIF Board of Directors in 1974 at the invitation of Mrs. McNamara, founder of RIF. Loretta later became the director of DC RIF in 1981, where her work led to the establishment of reading motivational programs for nearly 70,000 youngsters at more than 200 DC sites.The daughter of Hattie Louise Thompson and Joseph Washington Carter, Loretta is survived by her children, Peter Hanes and Cynthia Hanes; sisters, Louise Carter Evans and Faye Carter Scott; a host of nieces, nephews and other relatives. Memorial Service, 10 a.m., December 3, 2016 at All Souls Church, Unitarian, 16th & Harvard Streets, NW, Washington, DC. Burial services at Arlington National Cemetery are pending. Send expressions of sympathy/donations to Peter Hanes (address: 3900 16th Street, NW, #338, Washington, DC 20011). Donations to DC Reading Is Fundamental, Inc. in Loretta's memory are also welcome (same address as above).