Local 7 Colorado Retiree Becomes Skilled at Hand-Crafted Language

"I have always worked with my hands so I decided it would be nice to speak with them, too.”

These humble yet inspiring words were spoken by Harry Meddings, a retired member of Local 7 Colorado, when asked by a Pueblo Chieftain reporter why he decided to learn sign language so late in life. Meddings, 71, took up sign language 20 years ago after seeing an advertisement for American Sign Language classes. It wasn’t long before he was able to put his skills to use by helping to form a club for deaf residents and offering his services, along with a dozen other signers, at their meetings.

Meddings also became a Big Brother to two young deaf brothers, taking them to parties and the skating rink, and buying them clothes and shoes.

He lost touch with the brothers after they moved out of the area to attend a special school for the deaf and blind, but there’s no doubt his actions had a positive influence on their lives.

Meddings’ talent opened another door to assist a family in need – his own. His son Keith was born without muscles in his mouth, limiting verbal communication between the two men. Meddings never realized until he began signing that Keith had learned the basics of sign language in a high school class. This common skill has benefited their relationship tremendously.
Meddings still puts his skills to the test each year at the Temple Baptist Church’s living Christmas tree, where he signs seasonal songs for the hearing impaired parishioners.

In his interview with the Chieftain, Meddings touched on the discrimination the hearing-impaired encounter in our society, noting that too often, they are labeled as ignorant or slow. Meddings explained, “Most hearing-impaired are very bright people. They are doctors, lawyers, politicians and so forth…Those who can’t hear are beautiful people, just like you and me.”