Hilary McCormack
New Zealand deaf community advocate
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Hilary Strang McCormack CNZM (31 December 1934 – 12 December 2022)[1] was a New Zealand advocate for the Deaf community. She was president and patron of the New Zealand Association of the Deaf, and a strong supporter of New Zealand Sign Language. In 1998 McCormack was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the deaf.
Hilary McCormack | |
|---|---|
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| Born | 31 December 1934 |
| Died | 12 December 2022 |
| Education | Van Asch Deaf Education Centre |
| Awards | Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit |
Early life and education
McCormack had meningitis when she was seven, and became totally deaf "almost overnight" as a result.[2] McCormack attended the Sumner School for the Deaf (later Van Asch College), for a year, where she was a weekly boarder and learned to lip read.[2] At that time sign language was not used or taught at the school, so McCormack relied on lipreading and interpreters throughout her life.[3][2]
Work
Despite not using sign language, McCormack was a strong supporter of New Zealand Sign Language.[2] She led the establishment of the NZSL Dictionary.[3] McCormack also advocated for government funding for a NZ Relay Service, providing relay services for deaf people and people with other communication difficulties.[3]
McCormack was President and Patron of the New Zealand Association of the Deaf.[3] In 1987 she was elected to the executive of the Disabled Person's Assembly, which had been formed in 1983.[4][5]
McCormack served on the Board of Trustees for Van Asch College and from 1992 to 1993 served as Chair.[3]
Honours and awards
In the 1998 New Year Honours, McCormack was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the deaf.[6]
In 2020 McCormack was awarded the New Zealand Sign Language Awards' Supreme Long-standing Service Award.[7]
McCormack was awarded life membership of the Canterbury Deaf Society.[3]