Deaf Community Mourns Mother & Daughter Killed in House Fire

The Gallaudet University and Deaf community mourns Deaf mother and daughter killed in Falls Church house fire.

WASHINGTON, DC -- Hot pink and yellow not black were the colors of choice for Laura Snyder-Gardner and Mary Ann Gardner’s memorial service Sunday.

The colors were bright and positive and radiated energy, exactly how those who loved them remembered the mother and daughter, who died last week in a Falls Church house fire.

Witnesses Say Falls Church Fire Moved Through House Quickly:

Friends, family members and faculty turned into a sea of pink and yellow Mary Ann’s favorite colors as they gathered at Gallaudet University in Northeast Washington.

They fondly recalled Snyder-Gardner’s generous and nurturing spirit, with many students calling the Gallaudet math professor a “second mom.” And they mourned the loss of Mary Ann’s “radiant smile,” which friends and classmates said was infectious even from afar... Read The Full Story.

Two people are confirmed dead after a raging inferno destroyed a Falls Church home Wednesday:

Capt. William Moreland, a spokesman with Fairfax County Fire and Rescue, said firefighters were called to the home in the 3100 block of Manor Rd. The entire single-level ranch-style home was completely engulfed when crews arrived.

Moreland said they will release the identities of the victims once family has been notified.

Steve Klass, who lives next door to the destroyed home, said he was awakened by a loud roaring sound at about 3:30 a.m. He said a woman who lived at the home, who was Deaf, could be heard screaming... Read The Full Story.

Laura Snyder-Gardner and Mary Ann Gardner Scholarship Fund:

Thank you for considering a gift in memory of Laura Snyder-Gardner & Mary Ann Gardner. Laura and Mary Ann were cherished members of the Gallaudet community and their legacy shall continue through the generosity of their family and friends. The family has established the Laura Snyder-Gardner & Mary Ann Gardner Scholarship Fund to provide financial assistance for undergraduate students attending Gallaudet who graduated from the Model Secondary School for the Deaf... Read More at https://giving.gallaudet.edu/gardnerfund.