Kitty Phillips is an Iowa girl to the core. Born in the sleepy town of Corning, she was educated at Grinnell College near Des Moines. Upon graduation, she married and moved to the town of Algon, population 6,000. She and her husband raised two boys there and lived a good life together.
But when her husband died unexpectedly at age 50, Phillips’ life was turned upside down. After 20-plus years as a homemaker, she was thrust into the unknown, forced to find a job to get by.
Always an avid reader, Phillips was fortunate and found work as the town’s librarian. She worked there for the next 20 years, retiring at age 70.
Phillips stayed on in Algona for the next 18 years, until her life was turned upside down yet again when she began rapidly losing her sight to macular degeneration. Her son, who lived in Santa Barbara, had heard about the Braille Institute’s regional center there, and asked Phillips to come live with his family.
“It was an easy decision,” Phillips said. “I knew I needed help.”
The first thing she did when she got to Santa Barbara was enroll at the Braille Institute. She knew immediately that she was home.
“Braille Institute really knows what a blind person needs and they furnish it,” Phillips said with a smile. “It’s a happy place to go. All of the people here have the same problem so they understand each other. You’re not embarrassed if you wear two shoes of different colors.”
During the past 12 years, Phillips hadn’t missed a session until recently, when a minor ailment kept her away from the center for a week, which is a remarkable feat considering Phillips recently turned 101 years old.
Through the years, Phillips has taken a variety of classes at the Braille Institute, including pottery, knitting, yoga, tai chi and, her personal favorite, swimming, which she participated in as recently as last year.
Phillips said she is grateful for her good health and longevity, which she attributes to good genes, a loving family and her experience at the Braille Institute.
“I learned here that there are other people like you,” she said. “Despite your disability, you’re still a valuable member of society. I can’t say enough about the staff and volunteers and the wonderful friends I’ve made here. Braille Institute extended my life, I have no doubt about it.”