Elma Jones: a Real Friend

Elma Jones

To the Editor:

This past week a multitude of people from all over the Philadelphia area joined together to say goodbye to a real and beloved friend; one who was always there when a friend was hurting. Even with a large family, for whom she was the rock, and the glue that held them together, she always made time to help her hundreds of friends. Her name was Elma Jones. She taught in several of the District’s Elementary Schools, but I knew her best as the 5th grade teacher at Swarthmore-Rutledge School on College Ave. We became good friends through the Annual Rotary “World of Work.”

A beloved mother and grandmother, a caring and loving wife, a real friend, a super teacher; Elma was always humble about her talents. So many parents are deeply grateful to her for what she did for their children, and her former students are equally grateful for the love and learning she shared with them.

To know Elma Jones was to love her. She could be staunch and defiant when she saw anything that she felt was hurting children, or when she saw the young being cheated of what they needed to learn. She cared so deeply; that is what made her such a fine teacher. Not only did Elma give to her students, she also helped many young teachers as they were starting their careers. Of course, she was also a great lover of animals, particularly her beloved dog Molly.

I have never known anyone quite like Elma. I am 93 and Elma would have been 73 at the end of this month, but we had much in common and enjoyed talking education together. When my life took a number of bad turns these past five years, Elma was there for me every minute. I miss her very much and shall always be grateful to have had this remarkable woman as a friend. Rest in peace, dear friend.

Alice “Putty” Willetts
Swarthmore