Gladys Arnold, Anabaptist Educator and Church Servant, Dies at 92

Gladys Geiselman Arnold, age 92, died on Friday, October 23, 2023, at Brethren Village, where she had resided since May 1998. Born in Jacobus, Pennsylvania, Gladys was the daughter of John and Marie (Fisher) Geiselman. A lifelong educator, she devoted nearly four decades to teaching young students, a calling that began when she was still a child herself.

Gladys’ love of teaching first emerged in seventh grade at Springfield Township, when the headteacher occasionally asked her to serve as a substitute in the first- and second-grade classroom. This early opportunity sparked an interest that would shape her life and career. Eager to begin working after high school, Gladys enrolled in the medical secretary program at York Junior College. While working as a dental assistant, she completed her associate degree. A family friend encouraged her to consider teaching, and she followed that advice by pursuing a degree in elementary education. She graduated from Elizabethtown College in 1956 with a Bachelor of Science degree.

That same year, Gladys began her teaching career as a fifth-grade teacher in York Township, in Spry, Pennsylvania. In 1968, she and her family moved to Landisville, Pennsylvania, where she joined the faculty at Landisville Elementary School as a third-grade teacher. She continued teaching and nurturing young learners until her retirement in 1993, completing a rewarding career that spanned nearly four decades.

Music was another lifelong passion. Gladys played the violin, piano, and ukulele and was a gifted singer. During her early years and throughout high school, she played in her church orchestra. Even as an elementary school student, she accompanied her music classes on the piano. At Elizabethtown College, she sang in the College Choir and performed in two trios.

Faith and service were equally important to Gladys. At her home church in Jacobus, she established a children’s choir, taught Sunday School, and sang in the church choir. Later, she devoted many years to serving the Lancaster Church of the Brethren, where she continued teaching Sunday School and played an instrumental role in establishing the church’s contemporary worship service. Through her faith, musical talents, and dedication to her church communities, she found meaningful ways to share her gifts with others.

Above all, Gladys’s legacy lives on through her family. She is survived by her four children, five grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. Her life exemplifies the call to serve others with humility and love, reflecting the spirit of Micah 6:8.

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